Today we’d like to introduce you to Steph Stanga.
Steph, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’ve been drawing since I could hold a crayon! I’m the only person in my family that has ever shown real interest in drawing, except for my Grandpa. He and I have a lot of the same interests, and he always inspired me; he still does today. In Wisconsin, I grew up heavily influenced by fantasy and nature. My grandpa was a historical zoologist and a naturalist; his house is full of bones and fossils, which I still think is the coolest thing. The rest of my family and I would watch every animated film or tv series, consume books or films in the fantasy genre, play video games, and Animal Planet. Animal Planet all day. I think my family thought I would grow out of loving those kind of things but, I’m still going strong. I remember being very young and while I was drawing a dragon, and my grandma asked me, “Why don’t you draw some pretty flowers or a landscape?” And I just remember being very confused like, “Why would I draw something so boring?” As an adult I do like flowers but, still not as fun to draw.
I eventually went to college for Fine Arts, which then took me to Chicago and another college for Media Art and Animation, which is just a fancy way of saying I learned how to make digital art and animate. I worked in the video game industry for a few years as a contract artist, but now I’m a freelance artist on my own terms.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
My art is pretty much just the junk in my head coming out onto paper (or digital paper). I am often hired by clients to paint something specific for them; families, pets, etc. I love using my skills to make other people happy, but when I’m not doing that it’s free reign. I do a lot of character design portraits, creature design portraits, fantasy nature designs, cute things, and animals. I especially like to introduce my fans to animals that no one knows about.
Sometimes I like to add motivational or positive messages to the pieces I make. I don’t have the patience for sequential work or comics sadly, but I do like to make one-page comics about myself, self-image, body positivity, periods, and feminism in general. I think there should be more comics about menstruation! It’s always hard for me to suggest what people should take away from my art, because I think whatever you want to take away or feel is fine. I guess I would say, I hope people’s imaginations are inspired by my work, and they see things they’ve never heard of or thought of before. And maybe be more accepting of weird stuff. I love weird stuff. Most importantly, my art is not for women or for men. It’s not just for children, it’s not just for little girls. My work is not binary, it’s not that simple. My work is for anyone that enjoys it.
I primarily draw and paint on my iPad Pro, since it’s such an easy way to make art on the go.
Do current events, local or global, affect your work and what you are focused on?
My work has never been driven by outside forces like that, so I don’t have much of a personal opinion. I think for the artist that is driven by current events or politics, their work can definitely change or be affected. I’ve never known an artist to back down because of pressure to comply or act a certain way, and I don’t think they should.
If anything, certain attitudes about sexism, women’s rights, and gender identity affects my art. If I make art featuring a woman with unshaved armpits, it’s because I want that conversation to happen more often.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
Throughout the year I travel to different comic cons or art shows in the Midwest (sometimes farther!). This is a great way to meet me face-to-face and to buy things that might be con-exclusive. My website has a page dedicated to my events and where I’ll be traveling to next.
Otherwise, I have my own online shop on Storenvy. I’m on Instagram and Tumblr as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stephstanga.com
- Instagram: LookWhatStephDrew
- Other: www.stephstanga.storenvy.com
Image Credit:
Steph Stanga
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