Meet Stephanie
I'm torn between being a New Yorker at heart, where I was born & raised and loving my life as a coastal Virginian, where the Marine Corps brought us. I received my B.A. in Studio Art and later a Master in Fine Arts (Painting) from The Savannah College of Art & Design.
My Medium
I mostly use photos and acrylic paints. I love live flowers from my garden and around the Virginia Beach area including the Norfolk Botanical Garden. I search out the perfect bloom with my camera working on its composition knowing its going to become a painting. Each idea manifests in its own individual style.
I visit gardens, parks, flower shops and always have my iPhone or my 35mm camera ready to get multiple views of flowers. My computer files are up to about 48,000 pictures! I guess I'm a little obsessed with the subject matter!
My Inspiration
Painting florals as subject matter reflects and combines what I think is beautiful and what I would like to see on my own walls from an interior design point of view. I am intrigued and enjoy capturing the dichotomy between the flower’s fragility and dynamic explosion of color. In an increasingly difficult world, I hope to express an experience that goes beyond current events – a universal desire to find a moment where the world fades away in favor of something simple, natural and beautiful. Painting florals brings due attention to the small things we see everyday but continue to be overlooked. I want to magnify what nature perfects but is often walked past. The aesthetic pleasure of a macro flower painting is something people respond to. It is an opportunity to slow down, let the mind and eye rest and enjoy a moment of quiet beauty in a different light.
