Stefanie Renee has been part of creative endeavors over the years ~ co-founding Teahouse Studios from 2010-2013 and currently co-creating Mabel Magazine – a print magazine all about Making a Living, Creating a Life.
Her day jobs includes working along side other creative women entrepreneurs online and Photographer: her photography has been featured in Mingle, Cloth•Paper Scissors Studios, Mabel, Taproot and a book “Just us Girls: 48 Creative Art & Craft Projects for Mothers & Daughters to Do Together”.
In her free time she is spending time with her two daughters, painting or taking photos of the world around her. Follow her on Instagram at : @StefanieRenee and @MabelMagazine
1. What’s your medium of choice and what do you love about it?
It’s usually my SLR camera or my iPhone camera but lately I’ve been picking up the pen, paint brush and watercolors. I still of course take photos but when I’m working on the computer in my studio, the sketchbook and paint is what I turn to. It’s easy, small and it’s feeding my soul right now.
2. What are you working on right now? What’s on your camera/desk/easel or in your studio?
I like having numerous projects going on at the same time, keeps the creative juices flowing. I have been committed to a 365 project for the last 4 years; where I take at least 1 photo a day and post on Instagram. I continue to do that. Late last year I started sketching people, mostly women’s faces after being inspired by other artists I was following on Instagram. I started the hashtag #stefscribbles on Instagram so I wouldn’t put too much pressure on myself and because I really did consider them scribbles.
In April I wanted to commit to doing a sketch a day and posting them on Instagram and Facebook. When I started posting them my daughters started seeing what I was doing and wanted them to all have names and then a few friends started commenting by creating stories or backgrounds about each sketch. I also started with some little vignette stories and now they are becoming quite addictive. I just love the imaginative bits other people contribute and the sketch “people” really come alive.
I also am a part of a collaborative project – Mabel Magazine with my dear friend Liz Kalloch. We started Mabel in 2014 and we just finished up with our 3rd issue and gearing up for the 4th coming out in Novembe 2015. It’s something I had dreamt about doing for a long time and it makes me so happy it’s come to fruition and keeps getting better and better. More about Mabel can be found at www.Mabelmag.com
3. What practices/activities are most valuable to your creative process?
I think giving myself projects, like the 365 project or monthly creative practices…it’s fun to see the evolution and it gets me out of the everyday monotony of “work” life. I also take walks — getting out into nature is imperative for my mental health and creativity.
4. What’s one thing you want to share with others about your art and/or process?
To just start. Whether it’s a doodle, or a photo of a flower on a walk, it’s something. Something to get out of your head and into your creativity. This has helped me through some pretty stressful times and I have to still remind myself when I get overwhelmed or busy that taking myself out of the situation and onto a walk to soak up the sun and nature helps considerably.
5. What advice would you give to your young artist self?
To put yourself out there, to start creating every day and to not give up or compare yourself to anyone else. To follow what makes you happy and to just keep at it.
Recent Sketches…
Alisha Katz Hastings-Kimball, ceramic artist
Tracey Clark, photographer
Mic Boekelmann, portrait painter and art coach
Inspired by Stefanie?
Want to know when the next sketch is posted?