| Score Your Dream Job: An Interview with Artist Stephanie Stouffer |
| HCZ: When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? Stephanie Stouffer: Ever since I was a child, I've enjoyed drawing. I have always found pleasure in art and the process of sitting and working on art. It is very peaceful and healing. HCZ: How did you get started in your career in art? S.S.: I was at Bennington College planning to major in English or Psychology, but then decided to follow my heart to get a more structured and disciplined art instruction. I attended the Rhode Island School of Design. HCZ: Did anyone help with your decision to become an artist? S.S.: Yes, the conselor at Bennington College helped me realize my dream. HCZ: Do you feel that being a woman has ever affected your career? S.S.: I majored in sculpture at the Rhode Island School of Design and at the time, it was very male-dominated, masculine work. The workplace was hot and much of the work dealt with using bronze and similar metals. It was in the mid sixties. HCZ: What companies did you work with throughout your career? S.S.: The first job I had was working for a toy company called Hasbro Toys. I worked modeling doll heads, but then I got married and moved to Baltimore. There, I got a job working for a man creating heraldic arms, or rather, family crests. My next job was teaching art at a public school, but after my divorce, I took a course and became a Montessori teacher. I did not make enough money to support myself, so I went to work for Hallmark. I was now living in Kansas City because that was where the headquarters of Hallmark were, and I worked for Hallmark for ten years. I moved to Vermont around twenty years ago and started working with a representative that enabled me to go beyond wrapping paper and greeting cards. She would take care of contracts and large corporations because I did not want to deal with that. HCZ: What made you decide to become an individual artist and was it a difficult decision? S.S.: I decided to go out as an individual artist after I began to realize that I did not want to live in a city and go to a tiny cubicle each day. It wasn't a hard decision but I had to be very self-disciplined. I was able to free-lance for large companies but at my home studio. HCZ: How do you get your ideas for the paintings and designs? S.S.: I get my ideas from catalogs. They are my research. I also go to stores to see what's being sold and I try to stay informed of the trends on the market. Most of the work I do comes from my own imagination and sense of design. HCZ: What tips do you have for young women interested in pursuing art? S.S.: My advice is to believe in yourself and that your work has value. You must also have basic drawing skills and a solid foundation in art, whether you're female or male. Self-discipline and being able to organize your workspace and time is also vital. |