Stephanie Henderson
~ Artist Statement ~

My work deals with the unending cycle of life and meaning therein. I am interested in dualities, the way that seemingly contrary forces are interconnected and interdependent in the natural world, and how each becomes the other through the constant flow of the universe.
My work is influenced by the Vanitas paintings of the 17th century created during Tulip Mania in the Netherlands.
I impart a vivid dynamism to my still life compositions by using small brushes and building up a picture with thin glazes of oil paint. This technique enables me to create a beautiful illusion. I play with the ironic use of images as well as seduction of the image, the pleasure of the visual and binary oppositions.
I hope that my presentation inspires others to ponder the unknowable and invisible, the idea that we are all connected by the past, our ancestors, our history and stories, and universal thought.