This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Hollywood Portrait: The Homeless Artist-Art Teacher

Stephen Shoep, although he's fallen on hard times, still aspires to create masterpieces.

Patch talks with Stephen Shoep about his life, his work and being homeless in Hollywood.

Name: Stephen Shoep. “Pronounced 'Shep,' not 'sheep' or 'shope.' People call me Steve."

Age: "Forty, I think."

Find out what's happening in Hollywoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Hometown: Lubbock, Texas.

 

Find out what's happening in Hollywoodwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

You’re homeless? Yeah, looks that way.

What happened? I was doin’ good for many years. Was married, we had a nice little apartment off of Highland, right by . My wife got sick, and we had no insurance. She needed surgery—turned out to be four surgeries—and we lost everything. Her family helped too, but it wasn’t enough. She died in 2008, right before the election. They kept talking about hope, and we had run out of hope. There was nothing left.  

Ran out of money, in huge debt. Went bankrupt, lost everything. I lived in my studio for two months, but then I lost it, and I lived with a friend of mine 'til his wife kind of kicked me out.

What did you do? I’m an artist. Mostly paintings, but I also sculpt. I taught for many years at the Glassell School in Houston, which is part of the Houston Museum of Fine Arts. I taught painting and sculpting to kids and teens.

Why did you come to Hollywood? My wife is an actress, and she got a scholarship to study at USC, and she wanted to be here for her work. She got several roles; she was on Boston Legal and some others. She was beautiful. She could’ve been a star. She was a great actress, really. She was. Even before Hollywood, she did theater back home in Texas, and she was just amazing. She’d make me cry. What was that play? Our Town. So beautiful. She was the pretty girl in Our Town. People loved her.

So you walked away from your teaching job? Yeah, I did. I didn’t want to leave. I loved it there, that was the best time of my life, but when she got this scholarship, it just seemed the universe wanted her to be in Hollywood, and I wasn’t gonna stay behind.

How did you adjust to living here? It was good at first. I shared a studio with another painter friend of mine off of Melrose, so I was doing big paintings, and I sold a few of them. I also got work for awhile doing some scenic painting for TV. Did you ever hear of a show called Hollywood Vice? I did a lot of that. Boring work, but decent money. I tried to get a teaching gig here, but it didn’t work out.

How long have you been homeless? Well, let’s see, been almost five years. Long years.

Do you ever stay in shelters? I have, but I don’t like to. They all have their rules. Lights out at 10, that sort of thing, and they kick you out on the street first thing in the morning. It is so depressing, it’s the worst. I actually prefer living on the streets to that.

So you stay in Hollywood? Yeah, I have stayed at lotsa different places, all around Hollywood. I like Hollywood, though it’s sad for me here. But it’s way better than being downtown, Skid Row. I been there. Ain’t goin’ back. People will kill you there. It’s all drugs, prostitution, people shootin’ up, bad stuff goin’ down there. Here, it’s not bad. Gets too hot in the summer so we stay in the shade—out there across from the Hollywood Bowl, you know? You go up there, it’s quiet, cool and then I go down to [Hollywood] Boulevard to ask for change. I hate doing it. Makes me sad. People ignore you, or look at you like you’re garbage, but not everybody. Every day I meet some generous people, some kind souls around here.

You still doing art? I sure am, whenever I can. Would love to get some paints. I been sketching, mostly. I got a sketch pad and some charcoals. I sketch people I see in Hollywood. I got a whole lot of time, you know, but I gotta feel good to do art. If I’m too depressed, I can’t do it. 

You think you’re gonna get off the street? I know I will. I haven’t lost my talent. I’m a great painter, you should see my work. One of these days I’m gonna paint a masterpiece.

What’s your idea of a masterpiece? Anything by Van Gogh. Someday I could be famous like Van Gogh. You’ll see. His life was like mine, sorrow, depression, heartbreak, illness, but love of paint, of color and line. So you never give up. Never. You do gotta keep hope alive. Every single day.  

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?