When we typically think of an artist, we imagine someone skilled in one artistic medium … maybe two. It isn’t common to come across someone who is as handy with clay as they are with a pencil or paint brushes.
Stephanie Keef from The Arte Igzibet, however, is a stand-out creator who specializes in a variety of mediums. Keef comes from a family of artists, which originally sparked her interest. Art has always been in her life, whether it was her dad’s drawings or her grandmother’s paintings. Their passion was contagious, so she pursued her studies throughout high school and into college, where she majored in art at the University of Central Oklahoma (this included studies in art, art history and museum studies.)
But life happens, as it does to all, and graduation wasn’t in the cards. Keef left school to become a mom and start a career in the medical field. She continued to create, but more as a hobby or a “release” than for income. Then COVID-19 happened.
Faced with the need to stay home with her young children to help with school, she saw an opportunity. She started creating full time in her at-home studio in October of 2020, showing her pieces at galleries across the Oklahoma City metro and online, and started getting more frequent commission requests. Today, she is incredibly passionate about all of her creative mediums and finds time to create no matter where she is.
As a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, she spends a lot of time outdoors and enjoys photography as much as painting or drawing. She is also skilled with pottery. It’s safe to say Keef is a very busy woman.
When asked what her process looks like, she says: “It’s not really about the art that you see, it’s more for me about the process of art making. I rarely have a plan about what art is going to look like, it’s more about how I feel.”
Some days, she says, she wants to just “throw ink at paper and see what happens.”
She asks for a 60 day turnover on commissions, not because she takes a full 60 days to create, but because she wants to make sure that she is able to capture the piece perfectly – truly a labor of love.
Philanthropic Ties
The Arte Igzibet has a philanthropic mission: Keef collects gently used clothes and hygiene items for the homeless population
around the OKC metro.
Her website has information on how you can help with donations, along with information on how to purchase some of her art for your home or office.
For more information, check out Keef’s The Arte Egzibet at
stephaniekeef.com.
Photos courtesy Keef
