In the mountainous region of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Stephen Charles Shortridge rises each morning at 5 a.m. He has a cup of coffee, and then spends an hour in the sauna reading, writing and praying to refresh, focus and prepare for a day of painting. From 6 a.m. to noon, Shortridge paints while listening to music — anything from rock to classical, depending on his mood. Shortridge’s painting style, “romantic impressionism,” is a blurry, out-of-focus, lush, bold, uninhibited and emotional style of art. Ablaze with color, the style seems to capture a subject’s energy more than its physical attributes, and it is meant to be felt by the viewer. It is romantic because it has a flair of romance, nostalgia or love of the subject and it validates the subjective or individual experience over classical forms or notions of conformity. It is impressionistic because it relies on small quick brush strokes, primary colors and the reflection of light to capture general impressions, vague feelings, sensory experience and subjectivity rather than objective reality. It is participatory because it invites the viewer to fill in the details, complete the scene and become part of the picture. As Monarch Gallery assistant Jessica Payne said, “It’s easy to see or image yourself in Stephen’s paintings.” On Shortridge’s website, he said comtemporary artist Richard Schmidt puts it best: “It’s not what do you see? It’s what do you see?” The idea is to try to paint how you experience outer reality on the inside — what the outer world makes you feel. “Rather than attempting to tell you something accurately, I try to make you feel it,” wrote Shortridge on his website. “I invite your emotions to take part.” For Shortridge, it is not what you can know that is important, but what you can feel. “I think we often pursue knowledge rather than experience or relationship,” he said. “Knowledge never creates anything. But intimate relationship of the heart does.” Shortridge said his job as an artist is to look for beauty, interpret life and then put what he sees to canvas. He is a very spiritual person who, like Dante, thinks “Nature is the art of God.” Shortridge was born in Idaho in 1951, but raised in Southern California. He took his first painting class at Idaho State University, where he attended on a water polo scholarship. During the 1970s and 1980s, he worked as a television actor, appearing in “Welcome Back Kotter” and “The Love Boat.” He also costarred with Debbie Reynolds in the ABC show “Aloha Paradise,” and played David Reed on the Soap Opera “The Bold and the Beautiful.” When he was 37 he decided to pursue visual art full-time because, although he enjoyed acting, he found painting to be more rewarding. “In contrast to acting, painting gives me complete control from start to finish,” he said. “Painting provides a constant challenge … you never really master it.” Monarch associate director Sandy Sells described Shortridge as a “genuine, warm, open, down-to-earth family man, devoted to his wife and daughter, who shows no pretense.” It appears that Shortridge has much to teach us about our own creativity. “The most important aspect of creating is staying true to your heart,” he said. “If you say you’re not creative, it’s just not true. It would be more true to say you are not creating.” The gallery is located at 1205 Prospect St. For further information see www.Monarchfineart.com or call (858) 454-1231.