We’re looking forward to introducing you to Stella Robinson Lightheart. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Stella, it’s such a great way to kick off the day – I think our readers will love hearing your stories, experiences and about how you think about life and work. Let’s jump right in? What is a normal day like for you right now?
Hmmm. Not sure if my “normals” are normal, but…
As of late, my days feel like they’re draped in light.
I’ve just moved into a new residence in in the Los Feliz area of Los Angeles and it’s already transforming the way I work and see the World.
My space literally has the most incredible natural light from dusk to dawn – from soft golds, glowing corals, to inspiring lavender in the evening.
My painting desk has an iconic view of the Griffith Observatory, with sunlight streaming directly onto my rolls of paper and inks.
So, a ‘normal’ day starts with tea and a quiet moment watching the light shift, then I leap into painting or editing while the Sun keeps me company.
Even at night, there’s a feeling of magic, the Observatory glowing like a watchful star.
This new space feels like an extension of my art – a wee little observatory of my own, full of brightness and possibility.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Stella Robinson Lightheart – an artist and Emmy-winning editor: a Dreamer working at the intersection of fine art and animation.
My journey has taken me from the quiet English countryside to the sets of ‘The Hobbit’ in New Zealand onto the pressure-filled Hollywood editing rooms for the likes of Titmouse Animation, Warner Brothers, Universal and Netflix.
Earlier this year, as an Animatic Editor for Storybots, our Team won an Outstanding Editing Emmy for a Preschool Animated Program, which felt like a surreal full-circle moment after years of honing my craft and my ‘day job’.
But even as my editing career continues to blossom, my heart keeps calling me back to my art.
In fact, as of yesterday, one of my space-themed works just sold at Santa Clarita’s ‘In Orbit’ exhibit.
My ongoing ‘Find Your Glow’ series combines painting and animation into an interactive experience that invites people to reconnect with their own inner light and discover which ‘Glow’ best reflects themselves and their own personal space.
(Curious? See the collection at https://www.stellalightheart.com/find-your-glow !)
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. Who taught you the most about work?
I’ve been lucky to have a few incredible mentors.
First and foremost, I’ve learned so much from my Dad – as a Nucelar Engineer, he has shown me how creativity and technicality are two sides of the same coin.
Moreover, he taught me the value of staying organized, being meticulous and thinking things through: lessons that have shaped both my daily art and my editing.
Also formative in my approach to work was the legendary Jack Enyart – or as I called him, Uncle Jack.
Jack was an American writer, story editor, cartoonist, artist and voice actor who worked with Warner Bros., Hanna-Barbera, Filmation, and Marvel Productions. We met when I first moved to the Los Angeles area, where he immediately became my art mentor.
Jack taught me that work needs a balanced approach: keep your creative well filled by wandering museums, soaking up inspiration, but also know when you’re “too full” and to empty yourself out on the page.
Jack encouraged me to treat the work with both reverence and lightness, which still guides me today.
“The Talented Mister Jack” passed away in 2019, but his wisdom and humour live on, just like his art.
I’m also sincerely lucky to know Jack’s wife, Kay, who remains a friend and mentor – an incredible “Stitch Queen” with an impeccable sense of wisdom and fashion.
Presently, Kay teaches at ArtCenter and gives popular weekend sewing classes at Remainders in Pasadena.
Between these three influences, I’ve been shown how to honour both the dream and the meticulous discipline in the work.
It’s my job to carry their wisdom forward…
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
That shift came when I shared what I call The Tale of the Two Red Dresses earlier this year for World Storytelling Day.
The first red dress I ever wore was at The Hobbit premiere.
The Producers had kindly gifted me a ticket to the Los Angeles event as I was moving to the city – taking the giant leap across ‘Te Moana-nui-a-Kiwa’, the Pacific Ocean, from windy Wellington, New Zealand.
I was a young second assistant editor then: quiet, trying not to be noticed, still moving under the name I’d grown up with.
My second red dress moment came a decade later at the 2025 Emmys, as an Animatic Editor on Storybots for Netflix, this time with a tiny Storybot character (Boop!) pinned to the fabric, standing alongside my team as we graciously accepted our award.
… Between those two moments was a long journey of reclaiming myself and transmuting pain.
Those two red dresses are more than outfits – they are my markers of resilience and transformation.
To anyone else navigating their own journey of identity, healing, or change: You Are Not Alone.
Keep going.
Stand in your truth and stand within your art.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I believe that art can heal – I believe that art can act as a bridge between our pain and our light.
That belief isn’t just an idea; it is a lived experience.
Art was how I began to stitch myself back together, to transmute what I’d endured into something beautiful and luminous.
Everything I create comes from that place – whether it’s my ‘Find Your Glow’ series, which invites people to reconnect with their inner light, or my vision for immersive, interactive spaces where others can step into their own transformation.
Even my wearable designs, that I’m presently working on, carries that intention: the idea that art can travel with you, remind you of who you are, and quietly reflect your own story back to you, even in the middle of a typical ‘normal’ day.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope that I helped my audience remember and embrace their own story.
I pray that my work shows Everyone that it is possible to reclaim yourself, no matter where you’ve come from or what you’ve lived through.
I hope that my work reminds all of us to embrace their own light and gives one the permission to shine, once again.
You’re welcome to follow my journey at @stella_lightheart on Instagram or at www.stellalightheart.com.
After all, this is just the beginning: and I’d be honoured to have you come along for this journey of mutual discovery.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.stellalightheart.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stella_lightheart
Image Credits
Gregory Clary, Stella Robinson Lightheart
