Stephanie Visser’s work exists in a space where the seen and unseen meet. Her paintings aren’t just about form, color, or technique—they are about something deeper, something felt rather than explicitly understood. She approaches art as a portal, a way to explore the vastness beyond what we perceive. Inspired by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s words, “Behind all seen things lies something vaster; everything is but a path, a portal or a window opening on something other than itself,” Visser builds layers of meaning into her paintings.
Working primarily with acrylic mixed media, she constructs each piece with washes of color, textures, and subtle light play, allowing emotions and memory to surface in ways words cannot express. Her process is intuitive, a delicate balance between control and surrender, where each layer reveals something new. Every brushstroke, every translucent wash, every hue she blends is part of a quiet conversation between the physical and the intangible.
The Montreat Residency: A Turning Point
Visser’s journey took a defining turn when she attended the Montreat artist residency. The setting—sprawling, vibrant, alive with creative energy—became a crucible for artistic transformation.
She entered the studio that first day with nerves buzzing. Two dozen artists, all seasoned and accomplished, surrounded her. They had been hand-selected for the program, and she was the only newcomer among them. The challenge was real, but so was the opportunity.
The residency demanded everything from its participants. Days stretched from dawn until midnight, each moment packed with painting, critique, and experimentation. Visser found herself immersed in new techniques, learning to capture light and motion with a newfound sense of freedom. Steve Aimone, the master artist leading the residency, offered insights born from years of experience, guiding her and the others toward a deeper understanding of their own work.
In those intense, exhausting, exhilarating days, she let go of hesitation. She leaned into the process. Conversations around campfires, lattes fueling late-night painting sessions, the unspoken camaraderie of artists pushing each other forward—all of it shaped her.
Transformation on Canvas
By the final day, the studio walls were lined with work that told the story of evolution, risk, and creative courage. Visser stood before her own paintings, seeing something different in them—something new. Confidence. Energy. A willingness to embrace the unknown.
Her experience at Montreat wasn’t just about refining technique. It was about trust—trusting the process, trusting herself, trusting that what she creates has meaning beyond what can be articulated. That residency didn’t just sharpen her skills; it reinforced her identity as an artist.
The Art of Memory and Emotion
Visser’s work is deeply tied to memory and emotion, but not in an obvious way. She doesn’t paint literal recollections. Instead, she captures the feeling of a moment—the way light falls in a certain space, the whisper of movement, the emotional weight carried in silence.
Each of her paintings acts as a bridge between experience and perception. They don’t tell a direct story, but they invite the viewer to find their own within them. She layers colors like memories, blending them, obscuring them, revealing only what needs to be seen. Textures emerge and dissolve, much like the way emotions surface in unexpected moments.
Her creative process is one of exploration rather than execution. There is no strict plan, no rigid destination. She lets the materials speak, lets intuition guide her hand, and allows each piece to unfold naturally.
A Lifelong Journey
Visser’s growth as an artist is ongoing. Every painting, every experience, every moment of stillness fuels the next. Her work doesn’t just sit on a canvas—it breathes, shifts, invites. She paints not to capture something fixed, but to explore something fluid and ever-changing.
The Montreat residency was a moment of ignition, but the fire it sparked continues to burn. Whether she is layering acrylic washes or discovering new depths within herself, Stephanie Visser remains committed to painting what cannot be seen—only felt.
