Stephanie is a fine artist, working in a variety of mediums, creating animal portraits.

She has always had a keen interest in nature and the outdoors. With a background in Zoology, it is not surprising that her artwork would focus on the animal kingdom. Whether she is depicting wildlife or a family pet, she looks for the uniqueness of her subjects that makes each animal stand out as an individual. While Stephanie continues to work in several other mediums, at present, the bulk of her work is in scratchboard.

What is scratchboard? Scratchboard is a process in which the artist incises into the surface of a board with a sharp instrument to reveal a different color surface below. Scratchboard is made up of three layers. The bottom layer is a board to add structure. The middle layer is usually white and often made of clay. The top is then covered in black, usually India ink.

Scratchboard was originally invented in the late 1800’s to use in the print industry. Once photography replaced etchings in the printing, scratchboard was no longer needed. Today there is a resurgence of this old technique, but instead of making prints the artist uses the scratchboard as a one of a kind original. The scratchboard artist uses a sharp instrument to incise into the black surface of the board to reveal the white surface below. The finished piece of art can be left in black and white or the artist may choose to color it.

Stephanie chose scratchboard for a number of reasons. She likes the dramatic effect from the high contrast of black and white. She also likes the versatility of the board and the ability to add color if she chooses. The medium lends itself to the fine details of fur and feathers. Using a fine blade, the artist can achieve great detail, including every hair of an animal.

With the collector in mind, scratchboard is a great choice. Both the board and the inks that Stephanie uses are made of archival materials to insure that the artwork will last for many generations. For added protection, she also seals each board with several coats of a UV protecting clear coat and often frames the artwork behind UV protecting glass.

To see more of Stephanie Grimes’ work, stop by her studio at Pink Dog Creative in the River Arts District, and visit www.artist-f.com.

Stephanie Grimes
Pink Dog Creative
344 Depot St., Suite #103, Asheville
(813) 464-1414, www.artist-f.com