ART: Well I should have seen this but didn't. In retrospect I was doing a masters of architecture and every opportunity I had I took a painting class or sculpture class. On an architecture school trip to (...)

When and how did you begin to see yourself as an artist?

Whohub

Kristie Stephenson [artworkbykristie]

Well I should have seen this but didn't. In retrospect I was doing a masters of architecture and every opportunity I had I took a painting class or sculpture class. On an architecture school trip to Matera, Italy my final architectural drawings were done in oil on paper my teacher asked to keep them in the RISD architectural archive.

My final year of architecture school I incorporated paintings from a dream, bronze veils in sculpture with very organic scaled drawings of a dwelling.
Then I stopped for many years as I worked but somehow seemed to gravitate to other artists and performance artists.

Then boom! in 2005 a friend organized a trip to Sri Lanka to help rebuild after the Dec. 2004 tsunami she advised I could fundraise and I saw myself there. Things happened I decided I will create and sell paintings to fund my trip, the theme came to me paintings of "Peace, Goodwill and Protection" they were universal and cultural symbols such as the hand of peace, hamesh hand or the evil eye all symbols of peace and protection.

Once I started painting any day to day problems at work seemed to vanish I couldn't wait to leave the office and get home and paint. I exhibited the paintings in a friends spiritual bookstore in coconut grove, fl and in one night I basically raised all the money, two days later a friend advised a realtor needed six for his office. My brother then said I think you should do way more painting.

My earliest memories from childhood are in kindergarten with an apron on standing infront of an easel and painting another is finding clay in my backyard and making pots.