Hi my nane is Stella. I am a contemporary realist artist based in Sydney. I have been involved in visual aet during my life in one form or another. I specialise in wildlife and nature inspired subjects. From very young, I always had to create something. I loved sitting watching my mum sewing clothes and was fascinated by how some material and a sewing machine could do just by using ones imagination.
I would collect scrap materials and start sewing dresses for my dolls. Before I became a full-time artist, I had many creative journeys such as jewellery making, ribbon embroidery, crochet, floral arrangements and cake decorating.
Later in my adult life, I started painting folk art. I enjoyed it, but felt was a bit too cartoonish for my liking. To get into the field of arts, I started working in an art store, and met other artists which was helpful to have knowledge about it. That's where the journey of becoming an artist came along. I would visit various art galleries to find the style of arts I had an interest in.
Before I started to take my painting serious, I knew I had to learn to draw first so took up drawing classes, and then spend countless hours, drawing anywhere and everywhere, wherever I would go I had to have a pencil and paper pad. I started learning to paint in oils with professional artists, also attending various workshops, 3 day life portrait workshops, life study workshops, online classes but mostly on her own developing my skills. Some of my favourite artists style include Richard Schmid, Vladimir Volegov, Claude Monet to name a few. I work in realism/ contemporary style and am nspired by nature, enjoy plein air painting and love seeing how when the light hits even a boring subject it turns from ordinary to extraordinary. I approache my work to explore and express my personal journey through my world. My paintings are not about literal representations, but about a sense of emotion and experience and every single artwork has their own challenges to overcome. Thats where art is different from crafts, as you are constantly learning and problem solving with arts no matter how much you paint.
My work is defined by a harmonious balance of expressive and detailed mark-making. Working primarily with artist-grade oils and acrylics on canvas or wooden panels, I enjoy to capture the quiet essence of the world in all its splendid glory. After raising my children with my husband of 36yrs I committed to pursuing art professionally, dedicating myself to intensive drawing and painting studies through workshops, classes and rigorous daily practice. To deepen my industry knowledge and connect with fellow creatives, I also immersed myself in the local arts community as well as working at an art supply store. A pivotal turning point arrived in 2020, when a job loss provided the ultimate opportunity to transition into a full-time professional practice.
Working from my home art studio, I paint or draw daily from life to continuously refine my technical skills. I also share my passion by teaching art classes to young creatives as well as women art classes from my home art studio. When time permits I enjoy en plein air allowing me to slow down and appreciate the often-overlooked beauty of God’s creation. Today my work is highly sought after by private collectors and my ultimate reward remains creating original pieces that form an instant, meaningful connection with the viewer.
If you are interested in any of my paintings or would like to commission me to paint something for you, please feel free to contact me and I will be more then happy to talk further with you.