03.05.23 07:22 AM

STEPHANIE BIRDSALL received her formal training at the City and Guilds of London Art School in England. After graduation she spent time traveling through Europe honing her skills as a plein air painter. Upon her return to the United States, Stephanie continued her study under several top artists including: Doug Dawson, Albert Handel, Ramon Kelly.In 2006 ,Stephanie was invited to join a group of painters under the tutalage of renowned artist Richard Schmid. This opportunity began an intense focus and rapid growth period. Painting for the last 8 years with Richard, and his wife Nancy Guzik and the others in this small group which has become known as the Putney Painters has provided invaluable support and inspirationHer work has garnered recognition and more than 60 major awards in national and international juried exhibitions. She has exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London, England, Bargemon in France and at the National Arts Club in New York. Among the awards she has received are Best in Show at the Bridgeport Museum of Arts and Science, the Grumbacher Gold Medallion Award, the Degas Pastel Society Exceptional Merit Award, the Connecticut Pastel Society Herman Margulies Award and the Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, John Manship Award. In 2004 her work was selected by the National Academy of the Arts for inclusion in the Arts for the Parks National Exhibition.

Stephanie and her work have been featured in popular publications such as International Artist Magazine, Southwest Art, Plein Air Magazine , Fine Art Connoisseur, and The Pastel Journal. Public Broadcasting station WGCU aired a special on her work in June of 2005 as part of their "Expressions" television series.Stephanie's work is among the permanent collections of the Museum of the Everglades, Everglades National Monument; Florida Museum of Art & Culture, The Florida State Art Collection at the Florida State Capital and The Sonoran Desert Museum in Tucson Arizona. Stephanie was honored with a succesful one-women show at the Florida Museum of Art and Culture in 2006.Stephanie holds Signature Membership in The Pastel Society of America where she holds the designation of Master Pastelist, International Association of Pastel Societies where she is a Member of the Master's Circle, Oil Painter of America, Salmagundi Club NYC, Putney Painters, The National Association of Women Artists, and the The Rockey Mountain Plein Air Painters.

Stephanie is a distinguished workshop instructor. When not traveling on location to paint plein air, she spends her time working and teaching in her studio and gallery.Her love affair with painting is well expressed by her words:“I am constantly inspired by the beauty of this world, each moment is precious, infused with feeling and worthy of recording. I paint the moment. The instant a subject captures my attention; it is etched in my mind. Whether I am plein air painting in the Rockies or in my studio, I work to convey the feeling of the moment. My life and soul are dedicated to art and I have been blessed with the freedom to live my life as an artist. There has never been anything else I wanted to be or do.”