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Biography:
Stephanie Hoff Clayton, born in 1965, is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. After earning an art degree from Newcomb College of Tulane University, she opened a small studio where she painted and taught children's art classes. Years later during a visit to the Caribbean, she was transformed by the profound beauty of the islands and sea. After returning home to the
U.S., her work began to explode with color and
feeling. She had found her passion, and subsequently moved to the islands to pursue her work.
Artist's Statement:
My purpose in painting is to communicate a sense of wonder and mystery, that all is not revealed in a single glance. To really see with the soul, one must peel back the layers. Many of my paintings contain a window or door, a metaphor for looking beyond the obvious.
I am surrounded by a glistening turquoise sea, which appears lit from within. Living on a small island, I am constantly aware of its presence. It is an ever-changing and moving body, transforming everything it touches: A tumble of beach stones washed smooth by time, seaside buildings with their peeling paint, a lonely beach with shifting sand. These scenes mesmerize my emotions. I must render them all on canvas.
I am enamored with color and light, and their ethereal effects. I notice color everywhere--even in the shadows and the darkest night. I use my heightened sense of color to experiment freely with paint. The art process has as much meaning for me as the end result. Each painting undergoes many transformations before I am satisfied. To achieve luminosity and depth, I use vibrant washes, drips, veils of translucent pigment and impasto effects. I apply layers of paint, then scrape or wipe away areas to
reveal color underneath. My lines and shapes often become blurred as the process unfolds. The ocean's effect of washing away and softening boundaries is mirrored in my technique and imagery.
Stephanie Clayton, C/O Rush It,
PO Box 11156, St. Thomas, USVI 00801
1-284-494-6365 Studio
1-284-499-1261 Mobile
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