Local Artist Bruce Stepan Jr. is currently painting local landscapes across the area. He has created surrealist paintings, still life paintings and pet portraits, and while in college, he participated in a scholarship committee to help auction off a painting benefiting the Air Force. He would like to continue giving back locally by potentially auctioning off pieces of his work. Stepan uses Instagram handle brucestepanart and Bruce Stepan Jr. on Facebook to connect with his audience. He live streams while painting on location throughout the county using local community talk pages. “It’s perfect to be doing local landmarks and stuff,” he remarked. Stepan has been painting professionally for 14 years, building on a passion carried from adolescence. He plans to gauge community interest before committing to painting local landscapes full-time. Pictured, Stepan Jr. paints the Funland playground located inside Firestone Park. Morning Journal/Danielle Garner