stefanie sylvester
I've studied at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and exhibited in galleries and alternative art spaces in D.C., Chicago, Boston, St. Louis, Sarasota, Florence, Italy, and most recently across the San Francisco Bay Area.
Recent projects include arts education instruction and program management at Montalvo Arts Center , The School of Arts and Culture, and around San Jose, exhibiting work with Spaces Santana Row, RAW San Francisco, Menlo College, and the offices of RR Donnelley.
Click on a slideshow to explore selected projects...
Collage
My process weaves spontaneous experimentation with careful judgment. Beginning with an arbitrary collage, I develop my own visual language by adding and editing new materials, re-contextualizing and gradually building meaning through texture and imagery. Some lines are faithfully traced and preserved from one layer to the next while others lose their importance and are painted over, retaining only a ghostly imprint like a memory. The process mimics the passing of information from one generation to the next and how stories develop over time.
Life Drawing
Observational drawing has been my main focus in recent years, in great part due to my experiences at the Leather Trades Artists Lofts in St. Louis, MO. Flourishing in a creative, collaborative atmosphere, my work documented the formation of the community there. Fellow residents were particularly influential in refining perceptual drawing skills and introducing me to working en plein air.
Now in California I am frequently working en plein air on subjects connecting historical and environmental contexts. While still learning the challenges of painting outdoors, interacting with the public is emerging as a new, albeit unexpected, element of my work. The practice of working outdoors has become a format for public engagement, whereas my previous work explored individuals and their private worlds. Observational drawing investigates subjects and shares stories in a broad range of ways, and perhaps it's in this connection with journalism that I find something nostalgic and commanding in black + white on paper.
The Salome Project
This ongoing series depicts the title character of Richard Strauss' opera Salome during her final aria. The opera, and this scene in particular, inspired a portrait series focusing on gender identity and empowerment. Beginning with an understanding of the story, participants are asked to create a personal narrative exploring themes such as obsession, lust, and power, completed with staging and costumes. Constructing this tableau for a portrait immerses participants in process-oriented creative collaboration.
Those wanting more information or would like to volunteer can contact me here.
This series is expanding to other historical female figures.