Artist Statement

I explore abstract emotional and internal landscapes and the physical sensations of temperature, scent, and humidity. I use oil paints and etching inks because they offer luscious tactile qualities as well as deep rich colors. I often paint with my hands to connect my creativity directly with my materials. I trust my process to reveal a relationship between form, space, and perception. My paintings evolve by building and scraping thin layers of paint and guiding colors to bleed and merge. The process creates intriguing textures and gradient transitions and invites imaginations to wander. Each artwork resonates with a sense of history and possibility.

Biography

Stephanie Kossmann is a contemporary visual artist and Canadian immigrant based in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. Raised in a coastal town in Massachusetts, she has also lived and worked in Ontario and Vermont. Kossmann’s work explores the dynamic interplay of memory, perception, and mood, using color as a conduit for evoking sensations of temperature, texture, scent, and the ambient humidity of a place.

Her unique technique combines oil paints and etching inks to create a sense of luminosity and translucency, contrasted with cold wax for depth and opacity. Working primarily with her hands, Kossmann engages in a tactile dialogue with her materials, building and scraping away layers to reveal striking textures and dimensionality.

In her portraiture, Kossmann employs the philosophy of appreciative inquiry, moving beyond physical representation to illuminate her subjects’ inner lives. This approach, which highlights strengths and aspirations, invites viewers to see beyond surface and deficiency, focusing instead on resilience and potential. Her work fosters a transformative dialogue, celebrating personal growth and the rich, complex journey of self-realization.