Stephen Estrada grew up in Southern California and rural North Carolina. He spent countless hours in the cold Pacific Ocean, exploring the deserts of the American southwest, and rambling the lush Piedmont and coast of North Carolina. Stephen has travelled often across the United States and in the Caribbean. He still surfs, especially during hurricane season. Stephen studied at the Corcoran School of Art and received his Masters Degree at the American University. He made art throughout his professional career as a museum designer and director and paints full time in his Bethesda, Maryland studio.

Stephen Estrada’s large and small-scale paintings leave a deep impression on his viewers and collectors. In the words of Washington Post critic Mark Jenkens, “Whatever the scale or technique, Estrada evokes the experience of a nearby ocean’s power.” Visitors to his exhibits often describe hearing and smelling the ocean, and feeling the pull of the tide. The authenticity in his work comes from his lifelong relationship to the sea and his experiences rebuilding communities affected by nature’s awesome power.

Estrada has exhibited in prominent museums and galleries across the US including the Morris Museum of Art, the Ormond Museum, the Macon Museum of Art and Science and the Charles MacNider Art Museum. He exhibits at the Chicago Academy of Science in early 2022.