Meet Stephanie Sherwood of Los Angeles

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Sherwood.

Hi Stephanie, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I have always been passionate about making artwork ever since I was a little girl! I was very privileged to be able to study it seriously in school. Once I finished there it became about finding my footing and my community outside of academia. I’m happy to say it worked out! I have met a lot of amazing artists along the way and I am still following my path as an artist and seeing where it takes me.

The works I make now are primarily sculptural, but always related to drawing and painting. I am currently very invested in found materials and finding new ways to use those objects to create an artwork. I also love to curate exhibitions for spaces which is a very rewarding experience to bring artists together. Through my experiences as an artist and curator I have also built up my experience as an arts administrator to see how all of these mechanisms come together to support an art space and program.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think most roads are smooth! Mine is no different, I have had many personal struggles alongside the larger struggles that we all have tussled with such as Covid-19 and the recent federal cuts to arts funding. I suppose the struggle makes it more worthwhile to persue but it does seem like it continues to increase in difficulty to be involved in the arts.

In terms of artmaking, I tend to flourish within struggle. I setup challenges for myself to keep things interesting so to speak. The imagery I have been painting the last several years is a series I call Confine. It is essentially a still life of a bundle of soft material bound within a cage in various arrangements. For me, it expresses feelings of restriction which feel like a universal human experience in one form or another. I also tend to paint with a limited palette and in the arrangements I paint using found materials, the variety of surfaces causes a challenge to creating a recognizable image in the painted elements.

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?
I consider myself a painter and was trained primarily in drawing and painting, but my work has expanded out into the territory of sculpture, installation and performance. I think I have become known for painting works on discarded materials on sidewalks and in alleyways, and more recently I have been creating site-specific works using these found materials in museums and galleries. I think my manner of painting has become distinctive, I learn about these kinds of things from others mostly since I am so close to the works I make. My pieces have been described as maximalist and quite recognizable.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
I think the biggest thing I keep coming back to is community. In my earlier years I encountered many other artists who had a very competitive mindset, who felt the need to struggle against one-another. That type of approach never was really my thing and I heard advice from mentors of mine that you will get the most opportunities to exhibit your work from other artists and the best way is to support one another. I much prefer that approach so that has really become my M.O. For myself at least, it rings true that it is important to support your fellow artists and they will support you. Nothing really happens in a vacuum. I am so appreciative of everyone I encounter who supports what I do in any way, either by chatting with me at an opening about the work, letting me know when they see a great discarded item in their neighborhood or helping me to install or deinstall something. You all are amazing and really keep me engaged and creating.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stephaniesherwoodart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stephanie_sherwood_art/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stephaniesherwoodart

Image Credits
Stacey Meineke, Justin Galligher, Torrance Art Museum, Cerritos College Art Gallery