Painter and abstract artist Stephanie LaFortune is bringing a touch of expressionism to the Sandhills with each piece that she creates. After setting up shop in the community, LaFortune is looking forward to the beginning of her upcoming Artist’s Salon in Seven Lakes North.
According to LaFortune, her love of art began in grammar school, and she has been creating ever since.
“I love sculpture and those kinds of forms, but paint is my first love,” LaFortune noted. “I used to work primarily in mixed media: acrylic paint, collage, pastels, pencil. About eight years ago, I began using oils and oil pigment sticks, along with a medium called cold wax. Now I am switching back and forth.”
When creating art, Lafortune describes her work as removing herself from intellectualizing and following rules. She is drawn to pigment sticks, oils, and cold wax when creating art, which she attributes to the fact that she is largely inspired by textures.
“The richness and fantastic depth of color along with the abandon that I can achieve with pigment stick drawing into the work is juicy and visceral,” she said.
LaFortune has shown her work all across the country, participating in both solo shows and group shows. Her work has been shown from coast to coast, ranging from the Bay Area of California to Kansas City, and now making its mark in North Carolina.
Although she was largely self-taught, LaFortune has had the good fortune to study with many excellent artists and teachers throughout the years, such as Rebecca Crowell, Lisa Pressman, Sara Post, Kerry James Marshall, Takeshi Nakyosi, Allen Cox, Steven Aimone and Brenda Louie, among others. Furthermore, she attended graduate level classes at Sacramento State and the Kansas City Art Institute. She was also awarded a residency at the Vermont Studio Center. Her work has been on the cover of the Tule Review and in Rebecca Crowell and Jerry McLaughlin’s book “Cold Wax.”
“I enjoy flying in the face of what is expected,” stated LaFortune. “It is not something I think too long about. It is more a product of letting my body take over instead of stopping and thinking.”
In September, LaFortune started an Artist’s Salon at the clubhouse in Seven Lakes North. She actively encourages fellow artists to come together to share their artwork and learn from one another within the community. All artists are welcomed and encouraged to participate, regardless of art medium or skill level.
“It can be quite isolating working as an artist, and this is a way for us to come together, share artwork, teach each other, and discover ways to show our work in the community here,” said LaFortune. “The first meeting will be for the purpose of introductions and ideas that we may want to pursue as a group.”
Stephanie LaFortune is open not only to selling her artwork, but taking commissions, as well. To get in contact with her for a studio visit, teaching, inquire about a particular painting, or to learn more about the Artist’s Salon, send an email to lafortunestudios@gmail.com, visit her website LaFortuneStudios.com or her Instagram page at LaFortuneStudios.
