Stephanie Shank is an abstract expressionist painter who exhibits with galleries throughout the U.S.A. Exposed to the world of painting while a young girl, Stephanie Shank watched in fascination as her mother, an accomplished painter who studied with Max Beckman and Philip Guston, expressively applied vivid hues and bold brushstrokes to canvas. Observing those sessions ignited her passion to create a world of paintings. Born in St. Louis, MO, Stephanie Shank studied painting at Lindenwood College in St. Charles, Missouri and the University of Missouri in Kansas City where she received her B.F.A. in 1976. The following decade, she applied her creative talents practically through commercial art and window display design for department stores. Those years were punctuated with independent studies with influential mentors and workshops. Stephanie Shank relocated to the desert Southwest in the late 80’s where the stunningly clear light of the Arizona environs illuminated and informed the brilliant hues of her expressionistic paintings. Working in mixed media, predominately acrylic, oil sticks, and charcoal, her artistic vision expresses the vibrant rhythms of the inner narrative. Her paintings have been featured in many solo and group exhibitions throughout the country and are included in many noted private and corporate collections. ​"My paintings are very accessible on a purely aesthetic level, but they touch on deeper issues if you allow yourself some time to absorb the imagery. The images are meant to touch the subconscious mind of the viewer, evoking a primal feeling and capturing a universal visual language. By painting with a spontaneous, gestural expression, the work informs a dynamic impression of raw emotion and the power of intention. I want color to pierce the senses, emotions, and thoughts to transcend the onlooker to other places, to step out of the labyrinth and into a quiet corner of private joy."