“I always paint from life. I believe it to be the ultimate in representational art because it is about real experience, and demands the highest level of skill. When you paint from life, the subject, the environment and you, interact as one together.”
STEPHANIE BIRDSALL received her formal training at the City and Guilds of London Art School in England. After graduation she spent time traveling through Europe honing her skills as a plein air painter. Upon her return to the United States, Stephanie continued her study under several master artists including Richard Schmid and Nancy Guzik, David Leffel and Sherrie McGraw.
In 2006 Stephanie was invited to join a group of painters under the tutelage of renowned artist Richard Schmid. This opportunity began an intense focus and rapid growth period. Painting for the last 15 years with Richard, and his wife Nancy Guzik and the others in this small group which has become known as the Putney Painters, has provided invaluable support and inspiration.
Stephanie and her work have been featured in publications such as International Artist Magazine, Southwest Art, Plein Air Magazine, Fine Art Connoisseur, American Art Collector and The Pastel Journal. Public Broadcasting Station (PBS), station WGCU aired a special on her work as part of their ”Expressions” television series. DVD’s featuring Stephanie’s work, including “How To Paint Flowers in Oil” have more then 165,000 views on YouTube. She has 3 DVD’s available from Northlight Publishing, and recently recorded a new oil painting DVD, “Lemons and Leaves” with Lilliedahl.
Stephanie’s work is among the permanent collections of the Museum of the Everglades, Everglades National Monument: Florida Museum of Art and Culture, the Florida State Art Collection and The Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson, AZ. She has been honored with a one woman show at the Florida Museum of Art and Culture.
Her work has garnered recognition and more than 60 major awards in national and international juried exhibitions. She has exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London, England, Bargemon, in France, and at the National Arts Club in New York. Among the awards she has received are Best in Show at the Bridgeport Museum of Arts and Science, the Grumbacher Gold Medallion Award, first place, the Florence Gleseman Floral Exhibition Salmagundi Club, the Degas Pastel Society Exceptional Merit Award, the Connecticut Pastel Society Herman Margulies Award and the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, John Manship Award. In 2004 her work was selected by the National Academy of the Arts for inclusion in the Arts for the Parks National Exhibition.
She is a Signature member of the Oil Painters of America, Signature member of the Salmagundi Club, a Master Pastellist with the Pastel Society of America, and Master with the International Assoc. of Pastel Societies.
Stephanie is a distinguished workshop instructor. He goal is to help her students overcome their fears and become true artists. When not traveling on location to paint plein air, or teach, she spends her time working and teaching in her studio in Redding, Ct.
Her love affair with painting is well expressed by her words:
“I am constantly inspired by the beauty of this world, each moment is precious, infused with feeling and worthy of recording. I paint the moment. The instant a subject captures my attention; it is etched in my mind. Whether I am plein air painting in the Rockies, or in my studio, I work to convey the feeling of the moment. My life and soul are dedicated to art and I have been blessed with the freedom to live my life as an artist. There has never been anything else I wanted to be or do.”
REPRESENTED BY:
ILLUME GALLERY WEST,, Philipsburg, MT 435-849-8472
SAKS GALLERY Denver CO 302-333-4144
BRUSHWORKS GALLERY, Salt Lake City UT 801-363-0600
SUSAN POWELL FINE ART Madison CT 203-318-0616
