Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Gonzalez.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
Born in Monterrey N.L. Mexico, Stephanie Gonzalez spent a lot of time in the care of her grandparents in Reynosa, Mexico from the ages 9 to 13 as her mother was busy working long shifts. It was through her grandfather that she discovered painting. Every morning Stephanie would sneak into her grandfather’s room while he watched painting instructional videos by painter Bob Ross and started painting landscapes. She began painting almost daily at the age of 14 to escape a hostile environment back at home with her mother and step farther. and later started developing various techniques and experimenting with different mediums. As a child, Gonzalez moved to Reynosa from Georgia at the age of 7 after spending two years there and back to Mexico at the age of 9 and then to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas at age 13. After high school, she moved to Houston, where she currently resides. Stephanie enjoys graphic design work, murals and interior designs and especially creating mixed media abstract works that reflect her emotions. In her work, she uses mixed media such as coffee, wine, aerosol paint, watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, china ink.
Stephanie received her BFA in Interior Design from the Art Institute of Houston in December 2011 and is currently attending Houston Baptist University to obtain her MFA in painting. She has created works for public collections such as Starwood Hotels (Le Meridien, Saigon), murals for renown designer Chloe Dao’s Lot 8 Boutique (Houston, TX), Skyline Art Services, (Houston, TX) the Make a Wish Foundation, and a variety of other commissions. Gonzalez has also participated in many art happenings in Houston and shown her art at various galleries throughout the South Texas area. She is well versed in many design programs including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, AutoCAD, Revit, & 3D Studios Max. Stephanie currently works as a full time Fine Artist in Houston, TX.
Stephanie seeks to reflect and inspire emotion through her works.
Please tell us about your art.
My work starts with a feeling. Those feelings are translated and encrypted by unconventional mediums and an application process of heavy layering that can unfold anywhere from weeks to years. Exploration is usually the goal with other discoveries found along the way in my method of painting and image transferring. The paint is the feeling; the feeling is the art in which I hope reflects differently upon each viewer. In my work, I celebrate the imperfection by process of sanding, tearing and smearing. Bad is good!
I create as a form of release, I like making works that touch on current issues and often try to help with my work by donating proceeds to organizations that help individuals such as veterans, queer homeless youth, immigrants and people in need. I am inspired by music, nature and the things happening around me. I am also very inspired by my Mexican culture.
Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
Whatever you do, do it from the heart, learn from others but stay true to yourself and your style. You can do anything you put the time into. Also, never quit your daydream.
How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
I have open studio once a month which takes place at my studio Deerslug Studio, it is located on the east side of downtown. The address is 2020 Commerce, Studio A, Houston, TX 77002.
If you visit my website: stephaniegonzalez.net you can see all my previous and current works, commission, etc. To be informed of all my future events you also click on the contact tab on my website and sign up to received event invites there.
Contact Info:
- Website: stephaniegonzalez.net
- Phone: 832-703-6745
- Email: info@stephaniegonzalez.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/me_gusta_pintar_si/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megustapintarsi/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MEGUSTAPINTARSI
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/LYNK__music
Image Credit:
Julie Worsham
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