Interview with Stephanie of Extase

Biography

I attended the Ontario College of Art and Design for a few years. I went there to study drawing and painting and was soon introduced to printmaking. I decided to buy my own small press when I discovered it cost the same as the fees for one course. I've recently stopped using that press in favor of a traditional Japanese-style wood table-top that allows me to register multi-coloured prints. I still live in Toronto and make things and sell them on Etsy and at local shows. 

Why do you like to print?

Every print is different and you never know what the final outcome will be. Lifting the paper from the first test print of a block is still exciting! I love the craft that goes into the art form. I find this combination of craft and fine art very satisfying.

What is your favorite print medium and why?

Linocut. For the reason listed above - I love to carve. It's my favorite part of the process. I enjoy carving wood too, but am not as familiar with it as I am with lino. 

How long have you been printing and how has your work evolved?

I've been printing for about four years. At first, my prints weren't very planned out and I would draw directly onto the linoleum. Over time I've learned to develop an image before transferring it to the block - paying more attention to composition and, more recently, colour and multi-colour composition.

What inspires you?

I love learning new crafts and working at refining my craftsmanship. In terms of general inspiration or subject matter, I'm most inspired by animals and the relationships between animals and humans. Isolation, imagination, dreams and nature. There are some lovely paper and yarn shops in Toronto I love to visit that never fail to inspire me as well. Finding random things on walks like a gnarled piece of tree branch or bones or things people throw away that still have lots of life left in them.

How do your promote your work?

I haven't been actively promoting my work at all. I really have no idea how to go about it in a way I feel comfortable doing.

Are you working on any particular projects now?

I've been doing a lot of painting recently but I have a strong hankering to get back into printing. I'm thinking about a new series that focuses on the relationship between natural and manufactured objects.

Check out Stephanie's Etsy Shop