MEET THE ARTIST: STEFANIE STARK

It’s my pleasure to introduce Stefanie Stark (@stefaniestarkart), a contemporary painter and artist coach in the Washington, DC area. I recently had the pleasure to meet Stefanie during an artist talk at the @addisonripley gallery in upper Georgetown where she was interviewed for her solo show “The Strength of Her.”

Stefanie’s paintings explore themes of love, loss, growth, and resilience and contain countless layers built up over time. Inspired by nature, she reflects on lifecycle stages and the ups and downs of life, merging the highs and lows in with the paint.

We wanted to learn more about how Stefanie got started and what she finds inspiring. Here’s what she shared…

Can you tell us a little bit about your background? How did you start creating your art?

I was always a creative child and wanted to paint for years as an adult before I finally picked up a paintbrush. Then, following the death of my mother, I went to a wellness spa for a week, where a meditation teacher asked me to write down what I would do if I followed my heart and anything was possible. Sixth months later, I received my response, which I’d totally forgotten about, in the mail. The paper screamed out, “Paint!” I marched right out and bought my first easel, though it took several more years before I finally began using it. I couldn’t seem to find a painting class that met my schedule and just didn’t know how to start.

Eventually, I started painting in the studio of an artist who lived nearby, and once I began, I couldn’t stop. I painted with her regularly for hours every week and painted more at home. Ever since first putting paint to canvas in her studio, I’ve been dedicated to painting and can’t imagine not doing it.

Do you have any artists who influence your work?

Nicholas Wilton is a California abstract artist who taught an intensive 3-month virtual art course I took during Covid. Given that I never attended art school, Nick taught me a range of valuable lessons and art principles about composition, value, and color. His paintings are very different from mine, but he helped me improve as an artist.

What defines your work and style as an artist?

My nature-inspired abstract paintings celebrate imperfect beauty and inner strength. I’ve developed a style that incorporates many layers of paint – some opaque and some translucent – which I combine with organic brushstrokes and purposeful drips. My work is nuanced and calming, yet it is also strong. The abstract landscape paintings I create are less about an actual place and more about an internal landscape. Emotions related to love, loss, joy, sorrow, perseverance, and inner triumphs are embedded within my paintings. Sometimes I wonder if viewers can feel the work in addition to seeing it!

Do you have any favorite project stories that you can share with us?

My recent solo show at Addison/Ripley Fine Art, called “The Strength of Her”, was a dream come true. Twenty-four of my paintings were on view. Needless to say, I worked tirelessly in the months leading up to the opening.

When gallery owner Christopher Addison (pictured above) visited my studio to select work for the show, he noted a large unfinished painting and asked me to finish it. I think he was drawn to its size and orientation – it was 60 x 48 inches with a vertical orientation, and I could tell he had a particular wall in mind for the piece.

So, I worked on the painting, and it got worse and worse! Sometimes when things just aren’t working, the answer is to make a radical change. I took a deep breath before transforming the piece from light to a dark. It took a lot of time and effort to get depth in the dark background, but it was worth it. This painting became the undeniable hit of the show and sold before the opening reception. (I made an Instagram reel showing the transformation, which of course makes it look like it only took a few minutes to create it). I titled the piece Blue Light (pictured above), because at first it might look black or very dark, but when you take a closer look, you see many shades of blue and, I hope, a light within the darkness.

What do you enjoy doing when you are not painting?

I previously worked as a writer and editor, so I love reading, particularly fiction and books on art and design. I have at least one novel going at all times and have it with me wherever I am.

I also enjoy observing plants on walks and outings, whether in a city or on nature trails. I snap photos of what inspires me, from delicate flowers to sunlight filtered through trees to a plant pushing through a concrete crack.

I love exploring new places, and most of all love to spend time with my husband and kids.

To see more of Stefanie’s beautiful work, visit her website and be sure to follow her on Instagram @stefaniestarkart. Enjoy!