Winnipeg artist Stephanie Phillips has been drawing and painting from early on in her life, and her experimentations in style and medium offers striking results for art lovers.
Appropriately, she has just opened her Alchemy exhibit at Golden Prairie Arts Council, running until September 29th. The official reception will be September 19th.
Phillips spoke over the phone about herself, and her work.
Well, all of her work.
“My name is Stephanie, and I am an artist among many other things.” Phillips shared. “I also have a day job. I work in healthcare and I really enjoy working with the clients I serve.
“Even though I’ve done art since I was a little kid, I feel like I’m late to the professional arena with it. I never really saw a path or a career for me in art.”
Stephanie Phillips exhibit, Golden Prairie Arts Council – photo submitted
Kept with it
Yet she persisted with the medium.
“By the time I was in my 30s, I wasn’t really doing art as much as I did like I grew up for the 1st 18 years of my life like doing art every day, almost like a practice or ritual like it was a big part of my life”. Phillips explained.
“Then as an adult, life got busy and I will say that all changed for me about eight years ago when I first met Nigel (Bart). I’ve gone through a really, really difficult period in my life. I wasn’t in a place to be at my job at that time, which was tough for me, but I had the good fortune of meeting a counselor who really understood me.”
Key connection
The counselor facilitated an important connection.
“This woman referred me to ArtBeat Studios in Winnipeg.” Phillips recounted. “That’s where I connected with Nigel. It’s a nonprofit and it’s still going on today, even though Nigel is in Carman. His legacy lives on.
“It’s a nonprofit that offers free studio spaces to artists with mental health challenges for six months. After that, there’s a group show and they continue to promote artists. They have a gallery, Upbeat Gallery in Portage Place where people can sell out of.”
Stephanie Phillips exhibit, Golden Prairie Arts Council – photo submitted
A game-changer
All of those creative supports provided inspiration.
“I would say that the experience of being referred to Artbeat has been transformative for me.” Phillips acknowledged. I found a lot of peace and purpose in creating art.”
“I think it’s given me a renewed purpose because as people in healthcare know, self-care isn’t just for the clients, right? It’s important for us too. It can be rewarding, it’s also a very stressful field, right? I feel the need for something outside that.”
Important support
The support and inspiration has its place to be sure, but the response to her work solidified her commitment to continued artistic creation.
“I’ve been very thrilled and gratified by people’s response to my art.” Phillips shared. “I never thought I would have people interested in buying my art, but Artbeat it can feel like a big jump to go from doing art at home in your living room to doing it professionally on the wall of a gallery.
“Artbeat helps people make that transition, if that’s the way they want to go. I guess I could say kind-of bringing this to my show that that’s kind of what the title of the show was like, meant to capture alchemy, turning lead into gold.”
Stephanie Phillips, photo courtesy Cassandra Wolfe
Elevating everyday life
Phillips feel like that’s what artists do every day.
“They take our mundane, you know, the mundane stuff that happens, and we try and transform it into something beautiful, right?” Phillips outlined. “Something meaningful. But it’s also kind of a metaphor for my artistic journey.
“When I started doing art again, seriously, eight years ago, I never imagined all the things that have happened for me, not just because of my hard work, but also because of the people who have supported me and encouraged me. I never imagined that things would go in this direction, I just I never imagined all this good stuff would happen for me it really was a transformative experience and one that I’m very grateful for.”
Delayed official reception
As she does have additional commitments, the opening reception had to be delayed. The exhibit has opened, September 1st.
“The exhibit is ongoing.” Phillips noted. “As I mentioned, I do work in healthcare, so we decided the reception will be Saturday, September 19th.
“It’ll be a bit later in the show, but yes, there will be a reception where the public can come, they can meet me and talk to me about the art if they like. They might find me as shy, but I am very appreciative and like always happy to engage around my art.”
Her exhibit is substantial.
“I have a little over 50 pieces, plus I have prints of some popular pieces available and these pieces range from everything to just small decorative pieces that could be placed in a bookshelf, to larger landscapes that would be at home on a wall.”
One aspect of her work is unique pop culture portraits. That includes one of late actress Catherine O’Hara.
“Those often come up for me after somebody has passed.” Phillips shared. “I do have a running list. I’ll see a photograph of somebody, and I’ll decide based on something in their story, that I want to do their portrait.
“But sometimes it doesn’t happen unfortunately, until the person passes.”
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More than portraits
Happily, landscapes and other subjects are another story altogether. A grain elevator is part of her exhibit.
“That was done by a photograph by Linda Melstrom, I believe she’s from the Brandon area, a very talented photographer and that was a picture that inspired me a lot.” Phillips noted. I’ve had a long fascination with green elevators since I was a kid.
“My father hails from the Dauphin area, so I was always interested in them for whatever reason.”
Phillips’ father was instrumental in getting her started in art.
“He was very instrumental.” Phillips agreed. “He brought home one-sided paper from the office all of the time because he knew I’d go through it very quickly, because he was always drawing something.”
Stephanie Phillips exhibit, Golden Prairie Arts Council – photo submitted
What to expect
For expectations of this exhibit, Phillips expressed the diversity of her work may elicit different responses.
“I hope they find something there that inspires them.” Phillips shared. “I do some traditional pieces, such as the grain elevator and the Catherine O’Hara portrait. But I really do love making up my own compositions and doing things that are a bit weird.
“I find that there’s a risk attached to doing that kind of stuff, namely that not everybody gets it right. It’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but it is my hope that people go there and see art, unlike maybe things that they’re used to seeing on gallery walls. To me as an artist who loves lowbrow art and loves stuff that’s different.
“I remember like 20 years ago picking up a Juxtaposed Magazine, which doesn’t run anymore but it was the founding magazine for lowbrow art, and it was such a revelation to me that people who did the kind of art I wanted to do, like the weird stuff the unusual stuff that may be slightly disconcerting stuff, could have a place on the wall so that’s something I hope especially young people take away from it.”
All the details
Stephanie Phillips exhibit runs September 1 –29, inclusively.
The official reception is Saturday, September 19th from 1 – 3 PM. There will be light refreshments, non-alcoholic beverages, and a brief talk.
Golden Prairie Arts Council is at 38 Centre Street West in Carman.
Gallery hours: Tuesday- Friday: 11am-4pm Saturday: 11am-3pm
Closed Sunday, Monday, holidays.
Visit goldenprairieartscouncil.com for more information, and upcoming events.