Before 2005, oil painter Stina Aleah had never picked up a pencil or paintbrush. “I was not interested in art. I was an athlete and ran track & field,” Stina says. During Stina’s recruiting year, she broke her femur and was unable to continue her track season.
After surgery, she couldn’t walk safely to her classes without causing herself even more injury. “Because of this, my counselors and principles decided it would be best to spend my time in the art room,” she recalls. “After being an elite athlete, and not being able to compete, I fell into a depression. My art teacher decided to help me focus and get out of the depression through art.” While healing mentally and emotionally, she began to fall in love with art. “From that point forward I saw what art could do, and how it changed my life, and my outlook on what I thought my future would be.”
Although she did return to running (receiving a full scholarship to Purdue University), Stina never let the dream of being an artist leave her. Her high school art classes, watching other classes, and asking questions whenever possible (along with trial and error) allowed Stina to develop her artistic skills. When Stina first delved into the world of art in 2005, her focus was on mixed media, 3-D art, and sculpting. The following year she began drawing with pastels, graphite, and charcoal.
“I took a break from 2007-2012 to focus on college and graduating. By 2013 I attempted to paint. It was horrible, so I stopped and went back to drawing,” she says. “By 2015, I saw a gorgeous oil painting and I wanted to create paintings just as beautiful. So I picked up oil painting and didn’t stop until I got it right.”
Stina’s portfolio now includes an impressive collection of portraiture. “I’ve always tried to draw portraits from the very beginning. Before I ever painted I was using charcoals and graphites and trying to draw people,” Stina says. “I wasn’t really great at it, but I kept trying. Now, [after] much tenacity and determination, it’s what I do best.”
One of Stina’s favorite pieces is “Vindication” and “Beguiled,” both created in early 2016. “These two paintings really showed me the level of talent that I had not tapped into yet. It was a glimpse into my future.”
Stina is inspired by her own life, experiences, and interactions. “I do not let anything other than my emotions pave the way for me on canvas. I believe if anything else other than me motivates my creativity, then ultimately that controls what I create; thus controlling my career.” Sometimes it’s dreams or random epiphanies that find their way to Stina’s canvas. Other times, she uses picture references that best represent her ideas. That begins her creative process. “I draw the basics on canvas. I start my underpainting process, and the rest is history.”
Stina’s creative focus for the year is to work on more focused detailed pieces. “I [always] challenge myself . . . to go further than where I am now. I also am working on much larger pieces and hope to continue [in] 2019 with more exhibitions.”
To see more of Stina’s work, go to https://www.stinaaleah.com/.
