About Stephanie

The Studio

My studio, gallery and boutique is located in Bellingham WA,  just 90 miles north of Seattle.  It is open to the public and I love to have visitors!  Please contact me at 360-920-3064 or my assistant Hannah at (360) 922-2522. You can also send a message here to make an appointment. Try and allow for ample time for your visit because there is a lot to see.  I have over 2,000 square feet of original art on wood, full collections of many home decor products and a complete selection of all of my my Art Poles.  Come to my home studio and see me do my thing!

 

About Stephanie

Stephanie Burgess has been working as an artist since 2009.   Her introduction to wood working began when her daughter was a toddler.  When their new home was under construction, she noticed remnants of wood that the construction workers were simply throwing away.  Thinking she would be teaching her daughter a good lesson about recycling, they gathered up these soon to be wood canvases and put them to use.  With a burner,  some colorful paint and brush in hand, they began to create art together.  It was a true collaboration between mother and daughter busily painting bugs and butterflies and creating simple messages about being good stewards of the earth.  Stephanie was amazed at how beautiful their pieces turned out.  Subsequently, she started creating her own art on Lazy Susan’s, game boards and other colorful pieces of wooden art which led to renting a craft booth and selling her wares at the local Bellingham Farmer’s Market for the next couple of years.

"The response to my art was amazing and I found my booth was always crowded and full of smiling people. They seem to have a visible reaction of happiness when they see my work. It is simple, almost childlike, and I think in our complex world today, it is soothing. Painting on wood feels alive to me. I appreciate its texture and imperfections, and I take these natural forms and use them in my composition. A knot found in cedar becomes a sun, the lines and natural grain become the sun’s rays. Each piece of art is as unique as the wood it came from."

In 2011, Stephanie first discovered a traditional Peace Pole created by the World Peace Prayer Society (WPPS) outside of a local cafe in Bellingham.  It read, ‘ May Peace Prevail on Earth' in different languages running down the sides of the pole.  She was completely awestruck and it became the inspiration for her next project.  She had been searching for something deeper and more meaningful in her art and this was it.  She began creating original one-of-a-kind Story Poles burned and painted on real wood timbers.  These custom works of art were like modern day totems and often told a story about the life and family that ordered them.  Eventually, she opted to do poles with inspiring messages of love, hope, family and peace. “One of my biggest inspirations as an artist came from the words and messages delivered by John Lennon, 'imagine all the people living a life of peace…..' The concept of ‘Art poles for the garden” had begun.

Stephanie was the first artist to introduce the very concept of the Art Pole.  Stephanie began her career as a Licensed Artist when she signed with Licensing Agent, Alicia Dauber and first manufacturer (Studio M) in 2012 to go on and reproduce her popular poles.  As soon as the Art Poles hit the retail market, they were an instant success.  Awarded the Best New Product by New York Retailer Magazine, the poles began popping up everywhere, from schools to hospitals, to private gardens and houses of worship all over the country.  There is even one planted at the oldest school building in America located in the Jamestown Settlement of Williamsburg, Virginia.  Stephanie continues to receive national acclaim for her whimsical and colorful designs that can be found today on numerous garden and home decor products distributed both nationally and globally. This once self-proclaimed “crafter” has become an artist in her own right.  “I was once told that art is something that evokes a response from it’s viewer… I know I do that.  I am an artist!"

Stephanie and her family reside in the picturesque Pacific Northwest town of Bellingham, Washington.  When not in her studio workshop, she can most often be found in muck boots, working her property and gardens or tending to her daughter, Isabel and their beloved dogs named Stella and Gidget.

 

For more information about the World Peace Prayer Society and their noble efforts, please visit www.worldpeace.org

The meaning behind the Peace Pole.