Stephanie Louise Art
If 2019 is anything to go by Waterford artist Stephanie Louise Furlong is in for another busy and successful year. Having taken a couple of weeks to recover from the hectic pre-Christmas schedule, Stephanie is busy preparation for her next exhibition in Finders Keepers, Little Patrick St in March.
There’s been considerable interest in Stephanie’s work since her first solo exhibition at MOMO restaurant in October 2018 and the beautiful creations from the 29-year-old Waterford artist are now highly sought after.
I was delighted to get a chance to catch up with Stephanie last week whose life-long interest in art and painting is now the basis for a burgeoning career.
Part of the mural at St Martin’s Special School
“I’ve always loved art. It was my favourite subject in school and as a child I remember really wanting to be an artist when I grew up! But life got in the way and I took a few other paths first before finding my way back to what I love two years ago.”Stephanie credits her degree in Graphic Design at WIT as a major influence on her style. “I obtained a degree in Graphic Design in WIT and although I don’t work in that field now it has definitely influenced my style. I didn’t love graphic design the way I love art because so much of it was computer based and I prefer to be making and doing things with my hands. There is nothing quite like being covered in paint! I do think studying the different aspects of Graphic Design has helped me in my artwork, in particular when it comes to composition, it helps me to layout my image in a new and interesting way.”
It’s just 15 months since Stephanie’s first solo exhibition but the Waterford artist has certainly been kept busy since then. “My first solo exhibition was in the restaurant MOMO in October 2018 as part of the Imagine Arts Festival and it’s been non-stop since then. I’ve exhibited in the Tramore Coastguard Cultural Centre, The Rogue Gallery and Studios, The ArcLabs Research and Innovation Centre and most recently the wonderful shop Finders Keepers. I’ve been really lucky to get to exhibit in such great settings and am still blown away by the response my work gets. The collection I had in Finders Keepers completely sold out, I couldn’t believe it! But more than that I’ve had so many people contact me to say they saw my work on display and loved it. That’s the part that amazes me the most – creating something authentic from your soul and finding that other people connect with it.”
Unsurprisingly as the creator of so many beautiful paintings, Stephanie doesn’t have a ‘favourite’ and is just delighted to be producing work that resonates with so many people. “I think my favourite painting is always the one I’m working on currently. Just because it’s what is happening at that moment of my artistic journey. It is right for that time and place and then I move onto the next inspiration. I also get a lot of commission work, especially coming up to Christmas. I have so many varied requests for commissions but the most popular is probably pet portraits and wedding art. I especially love the wedding art as it is such a thoughtful personal gift and I know it will be treasured. I also love working large scale when possible. I’ve done a number of murals including a beautiful woodland scene for St. Martin’s Special School. I’m hoping that 2020 will be bring more of these projects my way. I’ve even applied for Waterford Walls, so crossing my fingers for that opportunity.”
Stephanie is currently preparing for her next exhibition in Finders Keepers in March and is confident of another successful showcase. “I’m teaming up with Finders Keepers again in March. The lovely owner Lisa is giving me her shop window for the month and I will be filling it with pieces that have been inspired by the Irish landscape and wildlife. The collection will be a celebration of Ireland’s beauty and magic.”
Away from the canvas the naturally introverted artist enjoys binge watching far too much on Netflix! But also enjoys all that nature has to offer and the inspiration it brings. Examples of Stephanie’s work and commissions can be seen on her Facebook and Instragram pages- “Stephanie Louise Art”.
