Stephanie Rew (b 1971) is a Scottish painter based in
Painting in the figurative
realist style she incorporates oil paintings with gold leaf, combining
traditional Early Renaissance gilding techniques with more contemporary ways of
painting.
Stephanie won the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Bursary soon after graduating from Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art in Dundee.
She curated the first Women
Painting Women Exhibition in the UK as part of the WPW (R) evolution movement
in 2013. She won the ‘Best Nude’ Award in 2018 and the FWSD Award
in 2019 in Art Renewal Centre Salon, is a finalist in the ModPortrait17 and
ModPortrait19 Award held in
She was a finalist at the Scottish Portrait Award 2017and has exhibited at MEAM Barcelona in both ‘Women Painting’ exhibitions held in 2019/2020 to celebrate International Women’s Day. In 2021she won the Peoples Choice Award in Beautiful Bizarre Magazine's Art Competition.
You can listen to her talk more about her process and inspirations on John Dalton's - Gently Does it podcast.
Artist Statement
Pattern, colour and texture of textiles and costume are intrinsic to my
work, giving the painting a tactile and dramatic element, placing the
model in a timeless era. Tone and form as well as strong light and colour
is important to me, as I concentrate on the relationship between tonality and
texture whilst keeping a private, reflective mood with the work.
I am interested in the historical element of art and theatrical costumes
has always been a favoured theme, and have been using couture garments along
with the kimono to add drama and design to my art. Recently I have been
incorporating gold leaf into my work, exploring the relationship between the decorative
reflective gold leaf surface and a fully rendered oil painting. The design and
pattern of the surface and textiles have become an important part of my painted
compositions.
My inspirations come from my life long love of the Ukiyo-e Japanese
wood-cut prints as well as the works of Caravaggio, Whistler and
Sargent. I am influenced by the Baroque style of oil painting and
utilise a combination of Old Masters techniques with my own. I also am
influenced by the devotional artists of the Early Renaissance, Giotto and
Crivelli, as well as the Scottish Arts and Crafts movement, particularly the
modern fresco work of Margaret MacDonald and Phoebe Anna Traquair. I enjoy
bringing the classical techniques into the present day. It grounds me as an
artist to look back in time to learn.
Ideas for my paintings usually come to me instinctively as finished
images in my mind; this means the work has no distinct narrative. That I
leave to the viewer to create for themselves. '
Solo Exhibitions - Two Person Shows
Thompson's Gallery, London 'A Heart of Gold' 2023
Thompsons Gallery, Aldeburgh 'Gilded' - Solo Show 2021
Thompsons
Gallery, Aldeburgh Stephanie
Rew and Jenny Matthews 2017
Lympstone
Manor, 'Reverie'
Solo Show 2017
Beaux Art
Bath Stephanie Rew and Jennifer Anderson 2016
Thompsons
Gallery Stephanie Rew and Judith Bridgland 2014
Alpha
Art,
Oisin
Gallery,
Art
Exposure Gallery Solo Show
2007, 2006
Menier
Gallery,
Bloxham
Galleries,
Selected
Group Exhibitions
‘Women
Painting’ MEAM Barcelona 2020
'Flower
Power'
ModPortrait19
Barcelona/Zaragoza (cancelled due to Covid-19)
'Five and
Under'
‘Pintando
Hoy’ MEAM
Art
Renewal Centre Salon –
ModPortrait17
MEAM Barcelona 2017
‘I
Observe’ – Group Exhibition,
Autumn
Show Thompsons Gallery, London
2018, 2019
Summer
Shows Thompsons Gallery Aldeburgh 2013-2019
'Faces
and Figures' Fotheringham Gallery,
'Anniversary Exhibition'
Waterhouse
Gallery,
'Celebrating
the Portrait in Art' Haynes Galleries,
‘Women
Painting Women
'Grand
Opening Left Bank Gallery’ – Galerie L’Oeil de Prince,
‘Summer
Show’ – Thompsons Gallery,
‘3 Woman
Show’ – Whittington Fine Art, Henley on
‘Spring
Exhibition’ – CK Contemporary,
‘Holiday
Exhibition’ –
‘Caledoniart’ –
White Gallery, London 2011
‘The
Female Form’ – Red Rag Gallery, Bath 2011
‘Women
Painting Women’ - Robert Lange Studios,