Stephanie McPherson was born and raised in the prairie community of Saskatoon. She has been involved in the Arts ever since she was a small child, beginning with her first gallery showing at the age of five. She continued to have selected pieces displayed at the Mendel Art Gallery, in Saskatoon, throughout her elementary and high school years. As a teenager, she was actively involved with community projects, including “Art on Broadway”, where she was a group leader for young children who participated in a city project to create street banners for local businesses. She received many awards for her paintings and drawings at high school art fairs and at the Saskatoon Prairieland Exhibition. Recognition for one of her paintings was given when it was chosen as the featured artwork for a city-wide student bus pass. And, with over 400 students in her high school graduating class, Stephanie was the recipient of the Fine Arts Award.

Stephanie’s artistic passion continued throughout university, where she was a member of the Visual Arts Student Union, and during which time, she received the Mina Forsyth Scholarship Award, awarded to the “Most Promising Student in Visual Arts”. She graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree with Distinction, and went on to have her first soul exhibition at Gallery on the Roof in Regina, Saskatchewan. One year following university, her creative pursuits brought her to the West Coast, where she attended the Vancouver Film School and learned computer animation.

Since her time in BC, Stephanie has explored several creative avenues while continuing to paint. These include: making and finishing picture frames, writing and illustrating children’s stories, and designing and sewing textiles and clothing. Some of her most recent education includes Marketing courses at Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design, Children’s Illustration courses at Langara College, and Children’s Writing courses through SFU at Harbour Centre.

Amongst her artistic explorations, Stephanie has also devoted a lot of her time here, in Vancouver, to the outdoors. She is an avid lover of nature, and has spent an enormous amount of time hiking and swimming in British Columbia’s local forests and waters. Her outdoor excursions have given her the opportunity to see nature up close, including animals such as seals, bears, wild deer, falcons, whales, and sea turtles. These experiences have enabled her to develop a healthy respect of all wildlife and habitats, and become more environmentally responsible.

Her current creative pursuit – Stephanimals – combines her love for animals and the environment with her artistic flare, colour and tactile sensibilities, and her inner child’s sense of play and wonder.

Stephanie is currently a member of the Crafts Association of British Columbia, the Granville Island Day Vendors Association, and the Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce. In 2009, she will be attending various artisan markets and craft shows throughout Western Canada.

For a list of upcoming artisan markets where you can see and purchase Stephanimals click here.