Stephanie's Studio

Many of you who visit this blog frequently know that I have had a long and winding road with my fiction and creative nonfiction. I'm working on a book now, set in the magical South Jersey Pine Barrens that started ten years ago as a memoir. I believe fiction allows me to spread my wings and take magical liberties so although it may be based on a true story, it is a work of fiction.                                                        Photo by Jon Tyson on Upsplash This book has a thick road behind it littered with rejection letters from agents and publishers. It has also gotten some very promising remarks from agents and some publishers have expressed serious interest in publishing it. It has had deals but they weren't right. As it's my baby, my story in so many different ways, I take the rejections to heart and on the other hand, I deeply a...

I am honored to have been granted an Artist Residency at The Residency Project in Pasadena. There I will have the opportunity to paint en plein air, as well as in the studio. In late summer, I intend to explore the colors, forms, shapes and natural light, particular to Pasadena and the San Gabriels environment. Midway during the residency, you’re invited to come see first hand how the work is developing. I will speak about my writing and art, as well as sign copies of “Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones,” and the newly released, “365 Days of Hoodoo,” and the volume to which I contributed “Llewellyn Spell-Day.” This will be a welcoming event that includes mandala-making, poetry reading and sharing conversation over herbal tea. See you there! Ashe

I'm afraid I've been remiss about working out, but alas, the promise of spring got me motivated. I started a cycling program last week and added Yoga for Weight-Loss this week. I don't like to start working out as a New Year's Resolution, on or around the first of January because it seems as though that time period doesn't work for most, me included. Yoga for Weight-Loss is always interesting. I think - it's yoga, I won't be taxed too heavily but then low and behold the sweating begins. I particularly like the program I found on Amazon Prime because her format reminds me of my books in a certain kind of way. She asks you to ask questions of yourself, and to do stuff. You are an active participant. So, a part of the 30 day challenge, the very first part, is to tell someone. I figured I'd tell you, gentle reader. I also ask you to join me or if you're already working out or planning to start, share about it here. Will check in again soon!  ...

I know a lot of literary folk, novelists and readers visit this site, so today I want to share a book review. This review is of "Shadows of a Tuscan Moon" by Sandra Carrington-Smith and Giovanni Logli. I have been following Sandra's work since her first wonderful nonfiction book " Housekeeping for the Soul ." Book Review I just finished Shadows of a Tuscan Moon , sadly. I say sadly because the author Sandra Carrington-Smith, creates such a real world, filled with mysterious twists and turns, spoken through believable characters, and I did not want the novel to end. To be sure, this is not easy reading. Its story focuses around domestic violence of every kind and its brutal, sometimes fatal consequences. Carrington-Smith is a masterful storyteller. She is gifted with the ability to imbue her novels with supernatural and magical elements grounded in everyday realities. This story is in turns poignant, sad, horrific and romantic. It flows effortless...

I am very excited to share that DAC (Design Art Concepts) will be representing a series of my art works exclusively through their online platforms, including Artsy.net. My page with DAC on Artsy  is here. Here is a painting they are featuring, it is called Whimsy, and was created in 2017, using mixed media. The second image is a detail from the lower right side. The imagery is derived from plants. DAC organizes exhibitions in a wide variety of spaces internationally, including in museums. I'm excited to see what develops and will share developments with you here. You can explore their artists' offerings and read their overview  here.

"Arise" is my ArtPrize 10 entry. It is created using gold and silver leaf, enamel and acrylic paint, a mirror and birch panels. Here are details of the left wing of the horizontal paintings: Here is the right wing, separated from the left by a mounted 12" square mirror: My Artist Statement is as follows: Arise means variously: to emerge, to become apparent, and to get up. In terms of this contemporary polyptych, “Arise” utilizes the language of painting such as, color, mark-making, organic, sacred and geometric forms; to convey the story of Christ’s betrayal, crucifixion, death and reemergence as a Holy Spirit. “Arise” has an installation and sculptural quality created through the incorporation of a dimensional cross-shape, complete with a central color-block story, mirror and painted borders around the edges, forming the frames. These objects have conceptual and symbolic meanings. The vertical color-blocking reiterates the horizontal st...

When I was doing research for my first book  "Sticks, Stones, Roots and Bones,"  I came across fascinating documentation of African American tree whispering. Essentially, tree whispering occurs after spending long periods of time with a particular tree and coming to understand its language. Since that time over a decade ago, I've explored the topic more deeply and have incorporated it into my novel. I also dedicated  "A Healing Grove: African Tree Remedies and Rituals for Body and Spirit"  to the magickal possibilities of trees. I get tree whispering at a gut level. Growing up, our home was enveloped by trees and I could see them from across the lake. I had the assistance of trees while practicing dance steps. I did my homework in a special tree, to which I also retreated when necessary. I now live in an urban suburb. Each day, seemingly, more land gets swallowed up by new construction for condos and townhouses. Still, trees and plants have a huge pre...