Artist Statement
I grew up in Cornwall, a town in eastern Ontario, and spent my summers at our cottage on the Saint Lawrence River surrounded by my parents, two brothers, an array of cousins, uncles, aunts, friends, dogs, and miles of life filled wetlands. I suppose it’s no coincidence that much of my work focuses on family and relationships, both with others and with the natural world. I graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD) and was privileged to partake in the college’s off-campus program in Florence, Italy where I studied Medieval and Early Renaissance artists Giotto, Ghirlandaio and Botticelli, and others. Inspired by these European masters, my work doesn’t only portray a subject for subject’s sake, but rather uses symbols and mythologies to reveal a powerful and rich story. Painting is an emotional and intuitive experience for me and I often portray water, trees, gardens, flowers, animals, and insects to create a world where dreams, unconscious desires, and the divine come into play. I tend to work on stretched linen, using oil, yet also enjoy drawing on paper with watercolours, oil pastel, and most recently pen and ink. I see my art as a deep expression of aliveness and transformation. I hope to bring those who encounter my work on a compelling and delightful journey of self-discovery that reveals the ever-changing dance between the world around us and the one within. I currently live in Wakefield, Quebec on the Gatineau River downstream from my art studio.
Insta: @stephaniepainterhill • FB: Stephanie Hill Art Garden
Web: stephaniehill.com