Today we’d like to introduce you to Stella Lightheart.
Hi Stella, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Kia Ora to All!
I come from a little place called Transatlanticpacifica. That means that I was born in a tiny village in the United Kingdom, and then about halfway through my childhood, I got tugged to the opposite side of the world, New Zealand.
I eventually worked in NZ’s growing film industry, primarily as part of the editorial team on Sir Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit. Working two jobs simultaneously, I spent my days with the Tolkien team and nights with the Flight of the Conchords folk making ‘What We do in the Shadows’.
From there, I traveled to San Francisco to work at Industrial Light and Magic.
Now, I divide my time between running my Los Angeles art business and working with Netflix Animation, which I genuinely love. I enjoy working on Storybots – a cute preschool show about the robots that live inside your computer.
One of my escapes from being a part of a nationally broadcast show is losing myself in my painting universe. It is the therapy of working in inks, pastels, and paints, where I transport myself to another world – or create one from scratch.
Every time I sit down with my inks, I enter a state of flow where all worries vanish, and I become one with my art. For me, painting is a form of meditation, channeling the feeling of a place or state. Whether it’s the energy of spring or the peace of a still forest, I strive to capture the subject’s essence in my work.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I must be honest here because it’s integral to why and how I started painting. While New Zealand is a beautiful place, I found living there tough. I’d left most of my family in England, and while no one’s childhood is idyllic, mine was particularly icky.
I started painting as a form of therapy. I couldn’t truly express myself growing up – so it was through art that I could find some stable footing. There was a point where I’d become detached from the people I loved – art was the bridge that bought us all back together.
The paintings began as striped lines – then, as I relaxed, they evolved. From there, my art changed into abstract pieces, allowing me to go beyond words and express everything I was processing and integrating. Painting and reconnecting with family spurred so much growth. I was uncovering the real me and shedding old remnants of my less-than-idyllic childhood.
My paintings started getting attention in England and were featured in the local press and two local galleries. At that time, I didn’t reveal why I was painting – I kept it light in the articles as I sorted out my life. Baring all is new – and a relief.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Now that I’m back in California, feeding the neighbourhood squirrels daily, I’m focusing on adding structure to my work while keeping the Storybots train rolling.
One of my new series I’m excited about is a ‘Transformational Dance’ collection with figures bursting through my swirls of expressive abstract paint. I’m happy as this figural element takes my pieces to the next level.
My previous series of paintings focused on Celtic Goddesses. I’m intrigued that myths have existed since the dawn of time to help us make sense of our lives. I want all women to know that Goddesses are powerful; and that each of us woman have our inner Goddess! This set of paintings is for anyone who needs that energy to help and assist them on that journey of self-empowerment. It’s that empowerment that gives me a sense of pride.
If you ask me what sets my work apart from others, I hope and pray that it’s the energy behind each piece.
When something is made with love, it shows. I like to infuse as many good vibes into my pieces as possible. Not only that, but I truly believe there is some whispered magic behind All Art! It’s a whole other language that, somehow, we all know how to speak. Art therapy uses colour to explain the unexplainable in words, musicians use rhythms to communicate sensations, and poets juxtapose a language’s structure on the page for additional meaning. If it’s made with love, it shows…
Come the New Year, I’ll need to focus on the business side of my endeavours, figuring out how to better position myself within the Los Angeles art-heavy market (and the World)!
What matters most to you?
Bringing joy to others matters the most to me. If I can create a piece of art that makes a medical clinic feel just a little bit more tranquil, or if I can design a piece for an office that empowers, or if I can design a background for your phone that inspires you, as they say in New Zealand, I’m a happy camper.
I’m on a mission to sprinkle magic into everyday life — with art as my magic wand!
Pricing:
- Celtic Goddess iPhone Backgrounds – $0 (free download from my website, stellalightheart.com)
- Stickers, Greeting Cards, Notebooks, Coasters, and Phone Cases – $5-30
- Prints – $12-$80
- Small Original Pieces – $140+
- Large Original Pieces – $300+
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stellalightheart.com
- Instagram: @stella_lightheart
- Other: 323 546 7039
