Stephanie Rydle

How would you describe your art and aesthetics in three words?

– Peaceful, playful, colourful.

What do you call your series of artworks?

– I call the figurative series ’Longing’. Everyday life can be exhausting at times, work deadlines, getting enough exercise, eating healthy, answering text messages…the list goes on and on. It makes me long for mindful moments when you feel calmness, and inner peace. This series is a way of expressing that feeling, the longing for that.

My abstract pieces are called 'Colour stories' because of my interest in colours and textures and how they affect us. They can stir such different emotions and compel the viewer to construct a story depending on their personal experience. I like to think of it as cloud spotting. The same thing can symbolise serenity and peace for one person and send another person into a whirlwind of summer memories.

What inspired you to create these artworks for The Ode To?

– The figurative pieces are inspired by unspoken intimate moments between people and their surroundings. The abstract pieces are inspired by the movements of clouds, fog and haze, combined with representations of brighter colours.

Can you tell us about your background and how you came to be an artist?

– My education is mainly business oriented, but there is a creative tendency that runs in my family. In my early twenties, I studied at Hyper Island in Stockholm. That led to a marketing internship in New York, where I discovered Mark Rothko’s. Later, I lived in Trinidad and Tobago, where my mother was born and raised, and freelanced as a graphic designer and photographer. During this period, I learnt to challenge my love for minimalism with brighter aesthetics. I’ve also worked as a content producer at a global company and during that time I got to work with different creative agencies, photographers, and interior designers. That fueled my love for art, design, and interiors even more. Alongside these jobs, I’ve expressed my creativity through different outlets, from starting a baking blog to selling linen products online. Reflecting on this, I realise that I’m driven by creation. It’s so exciting to start from something blank and see where it takes you and learn as you go along. That’s also a big part of why I love painting. Each canvas is a new opportunity to create and to challenge myself. It’s a journey that I’m happy that I’ve found – and excited to continue.

Name an artist that you admire?

– Mark Rothko is my all-time favourite artist. I’m moved by the depth of colours and forms in his work. I also must mention painter and photographer Peggy Kuiper. Her combination of colours and her interpretation of the human body is beautiful.