Ñòèâ Õýíêñ (Steve Hanks) ðîäèëñÿ â Ñàí Äèåãî (Êàëèôîðíèÿ, ÑØÀ) â 1949 ãîäó. Ñ ðàííåãî äåòñòâà îí ...

Ñòèâ Õýíêñ (Steve Hanks) ðîäèëñÿ â Ñàí Äèåãî (Êàëèôîðíèÿ, ÑØÀ) â 1949 ãîäó. Ñ ðàííåãî äåòñòâà îí ìíîãî âðåìåíè ïðîâîäèë íà îêåàíñêîì ïîáåðåæüå, ïîçæå îí ïðèçíàâàëñÿ: "The ocean made a strong and lasting impression on me. It was good for the soul to be out in the water—surfing, swimming, or simply getting in touch with its mysterious power". Êîãäà ìàëü÷èê óæå õîäèë â øêîëó, ñåìüÿ ïåðååõàëà â Íüþ-Ìåõèêî. Ïîñëå øêîëû Ñòèâ ïîñòóïàåò â Õóäîæåñòâåííóþ Àêàäåìèþ â Ñàí Ôðàíöèñêî, êîòîðóþ çàêàí÷èâàåò ñ îòëè÷èåì.  1976 ãîäó îí íà÷èíàåò ðàáîòàòü îôîðìèòåëåì â Campfire Girl’s camp (Íüþ-Ìåõèêî).  òå÷åíèå íåñêîëüêèõ ëåò Õýíêñ ýêñïåðèìåíòèðóåò ñ ðàçíûìè òåõíèêàìè: ïèøåò ìàñëîì è àêâàðåëüíûìè êðàñêàìè, ðèñóåò â êàðàíäàøå, ðàáîòàåò ñ àêðèëîâûìè êðàñêàìè. Ïîñòåïåííî ó íåãî âûðàáàòûâàåòñÿ ñâîé ñîáñòâåííûé ñòèëü, êîòîðûé õóäîæíèê íàçûâàåò "ýìîöèîíàëüíûì ðåàëèçìîì". ×àùå âñåãî îí ïèøåò ëþäåé, è ýòî íå ïðîñòî ïîðòðåòû, íî ñëîæíî âûñòðîåííûå êîìïîçèöèè, â êîòîðûõ äåòàëè èãðàþò áîëüøóþ ðîëü. Ãîâîðÿ, íàïðèìåð, îá îñâåùåíèè, Õýíêñ ïîä÷åðêèâàåò: "Sunlight has become one of my favorite subjects. I’m fascinated by how it filters through things, how it floods a whole room with color. Often my paintings are really more about sunlight than anything else". Õýíêñ ïîñòîÿííî âõîäèò â äåñÿòêó ëó÷øèõ àìåðèêàíñêèõ õóäîæíèêîâ (ïî ðåçóëüòàòàì îïðîñîâ U.S. Art Magazine). "I’ve tried to be responsible and put positive images out into the world. I hope that my work brings comfort, pleasure and insight into people’s lives", - â ýòèõ ñëîâàõ, íàâåðíîå, ñîäåðæèòñÿ ñàìàÿ òî÷íàÿ õàðàêòåðèñòèêà åãî òâîð÷åñòâà. Ìíîãèå êðèòèêè ïðèçíàþò Ñòèâà Õýíêñà îäíèì èç ëó÷øèõ ñîâðåìåííûõ àêâàðåëèñòîâ. Åãî ðàáîòû ìîæíî æèâü¸ì óâèäåòü â ãàëåðåÿõ E.S. Lawrence Gallery (â Àñïåíå) è Trailside Galleries (â Äæåêñîí Õîóë è â Ñêîòòñäåéë)