About the Artist : : : Stefanie A. Shilling

Why do I paint? Connection.
Connection to a part of myself, connection to those around me.
I believe art is an extension of oneself, an offering, a moment in time.
And, for me, art is a way of finding my way to the essence of who I am
and what my existence means to the world.
My process is a dance between the canvas, paint, and my own energy.
It is very much an intuitive process that is often steeped in emotion.
I began painting in late 2010 after a lifetime of writing.
I wasn’t a visual artist as a child; I’ve been a writer as long as I can remember.
But, when I exposed my creative side to painting,
I fell in love with the freedom of it.
It has fed a part of my soul that I didn’t even realize was hungry.
Today, the pen & paintbrush share custody and usually fight for attention.
One way or another, the art gets out.
One way or another, I continue to find my way home…
by way of sharing my heart.
I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest (Oregon)
with my husband & our two kids.
All three of them teach me something every day.
Life is good, even on the bad days.
Random facts about me:
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My favorite color is periwinkle; a little blue, a little purple.
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I usually listen to music while painting - and often the same song on repeat per painting. (I do the opposite when I write--need silence.) I love all kinds of music: alternative/rock, blues, pop, classical/opera, dance/hip-hop/rap, new age, international, reggae, jazz and country!
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I could eat dessert for dinner.
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Painting lights me up inside. It gives me an energy like nothing else.
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When I was in high school, I wanted to be the first woman president--and really believed I would be!
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I'm a huge believer that your frame of mind charts the course for your day, thus I'm an optimistic and positive person...on most days.
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Fall is my favorite season. I love to bake (yes, back to the sweet tooth.)
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My favorite subject in school was English/Creative Writing. My worst? History. (I get a second chance now, with my own children, to learn history and I'm looking forward to it!)
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My husband is an illustrator. He illustrated The Waffle Story children's book.
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I didn't learn how to swim until I was 40.
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I am a big fan of Mr. Rogers.
I'd love to hear from you!
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Email:
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or send me a message by filling out the form on the right