Stéphanie Catherine, aka StfacatPrints is a self-taught artist and linoleum engraver. The inspiration behind Stéphanie’s illustrations comes from dark and macabre iconography, and the culture surrounding black metal music. She takes further influence from Medieval Art, evoking legends of mythology from ancient gods, to the works of classical artists, ancient engravings and Flemish painting. While her passion for old paper and the heritage of ancient techniques is inspired by the world of tattooing, it also comes from anatomical, scientific study. “It reveals all the beauty behind the alchemy, all the charm of the occult” describes Stéphanie .
Having tried various techniques throughout her career, she enjoyed practising painting on raw support (metal and slate) with mediums including oil, acrylic and others that she makes herself from pigments, binders, and bits of metal. After this abstract period and research of texture, Stéphanie turned towards figuration in painting, slowly developing her style and attraction to the the dark and the occult.
At the same time, at the age of 20, Stéphanie set up her first associative structure, and began to run her first creative workshops. She learnt and taught in different techniques including mosaic, patina making, and clay modelling, and enrolled in an artist’s workshop where she practised painting and took classes in art history.
After a few years, and time spent mastering a variety of techniques, Stéphanie had an urge to learn more, thus developed an interest in alternative photography: pinhole, photogram, and cyanotype. She transformed her illustrations into negative paintings, and printed them on postcards using cyanotype techniques. Stéphanie is currently expanding her repotoire, learning about lasagnography, monotype, drypoint engraving on tetra pack, on polystyrene, and on rhodoid; “I love the cheap and lower cost processes” explains the artist.
The endless possibilities offered by lino carving then became an obsession for the printmaker. Stéphanie describes; “I obsess between the combinations of colours, paper etc … it is an endless experiment at the moment“. She quickly equipped herself with good tools and materials, and invested in a small press. Stéphanie engraves on Essdee linoleum sheets or on vinyl, and loves to use handmade cotton paper with fringed edges of 110g by German brand, Silberburg, as well as natural Lokta, or mulberry papers. Currently, she prints using Cranfield colours ink in A4 or A3, but is keen to expand her work to a larger format. To create an illustration, she begins with sketches, photo research, and creates digital collages of photos mixed with her drawings.
Currently, Stéphanie is enjoying printing on fabrics by hand and in barren. After creating small collection of tote bags, she has now started printing sweatshirts, and will soon be launching a small collection of patches. She is also starting a printing project based on vintage photography, which will be released as a unique creation, and will soon be hosting her first introductory lino engraving workshops.
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