Stephanie Bartlow Art
About The Art
I paint realistic scenes that relate to memories through nostalgia.
All elements are deliberately selected to tell a story. My subject may be the toy(s) and their environment however, the meaning, moment or situation take center stage.
Color and lighting are carefully designed and discovered. Illuminating the scene in which the toy(s) plays its part. Each scene reflects something about the toy and its relationship to the other elements.
Sometimes animals play a part, adding a layer of warmth and softening the scene with their nature and curiosity.
Moving through memory you arrive at the moment the scene takes place, aware of your part to play.
Stay Connected
I periodically send out an email to give people on my list early access to new paintings. Join my newsletter for new articles on my blog, updates, and any shows I may decide to do.
I promise I won’t send too many emails.
About Me
“I chose toys as my subject because they represent time and an investment of emotion. They were our first friends, things to push around and be mean to, to love and share our most intimate secrets with. They hold so much of our emotional history that there is a lifetime bond with the ones we loved or even hated the most.”
Part of my painting’s concepts are embedded in my memories of my grandmother’s home. She was a crafter painting plaster animals and figures. All throughout the house she arranged them together, designing conversations and making funny parings. Sometimes these scenes would change over time making new references. She made a lasting impression on me.
Toys have been a reappearing entity in my life.
My early years in my art business were making toy maquettes for new pilot television shows. Later I had contracts for a prototyping company sculpting toys as prototypes for new toys on the market like Finding Nemo and Bob the Builder.
Eventually I was contracted as an artist for educational television (PBS). Miniature diorama sets and miniature characters for a few instructional programs were created. In addition to those, special makeup effects for reenactments were made. And, for a different show about anatomy, I designed many illustrations. All of these shows won Emmy Awards.
I work on big toys now.
I evolved into a practical special effects artist working on animatronic characters. I make skins, eyes, teeth, punch in hair, sew fur or apply feathers to make the character’s appearance. You may have seen these animatronics at Disneyland, Universal Studios and Knott’s Berry Farm.
While I continue to practice my special effects skills, I have returned to my own art. My paintings have been in the making for many years. The decision to work in acrylics, the subject matter, my techniques all have been studied and ruminated over. Reaching into a world of imagination and play.
It’s time to follow my heart,
and make you art that will make you smile.
Harry Potter - Buckbeak Animatronic
