Stefanie Bales is an award-winning Fine Artist, muralist, and boutique gallery owner- all of which are umbrellaed under her multifaceted creative brand, Stefanie Bales Fine Art. Stefanie opened her gallery Stefanie Bales Fine Art in Sept 2018 and it has since become a staple in the downtown community. Stefanie has an impressive resume, having taught at the collegiate level for over a decade and having a local portfolio that includes dozens of prominent clients in both the public and private sectors- some of which include the SD downtown Partnership, Balboa Park, Belmont Park, Ansun BioPharma, Estancia La Jolla Hotel, San Diego Museum of Art, Longfellow Real Estate, One Paseo, and the Flower Hill Promenade.
SBFA was recently awarded “Best Art Gallery” by Modern Luxury and the San Diego Reader, and Stefanie was a finalist for “Woman of the Year” by San Diego Magazine as well as a finalist in the “Create the Future Awards” by the San Diego Downtown Partnership in the categories of Cultural Vitality AND Small Business of the Year. Stefanie has established partnerships with national and international brands, including Geometry House, Art Firm, and The Crafter’s Box, and she and her work have been featured and published extensively- most recently in Business Insider.
Originally from Philadelphia, PA, Stefanie moved to San Diego, CA after graduating Cum Laude with a BFA degree in painting from the University of Delaware’s honors program. After a year working for a high-end Art Deco company, she returned to school to pursue her Masters degree in Educational Psychology and Art Therapy. Her time working with students with neuropsychological disorders incidentally inspired her to begin exploring the visual representation of human consciousness, evident in her most recent bodies of work.
Stefanie is working as an artist full-time and is active in the local creative community. Stefanie is a champion for women in business, a mentor to other emerging artists, and despite no-longer teaching in the classroom, she’s a lifelong educator. She donates a significant amount of time, work, and fundraising efforts to local, charitable organizations and non-profits- some of which include the Surfrider Foundation, WildCoast, ArtReach San Diego, and the San Diego Museum of Art.
She is also the mom to two young boys, Weston, 8, and Rowan, 2, who are her greatest works of Art.
1504 India St, San Diego CA 92101
(610)-213-8215
M.S. in Educational Counseling. *with distinction
Pupil Personnel Services Credential
Thesis: Art Therapy and Autism
National University. La Jolla, CA
2007- 2009
B.F.A. Studio Art
Painting Concentration. History minor.
The University of Delaware, honors program. Newark, DE
2001-2004
Professor; Art + Design
Platt College, San Diego, CA
2008 – 2018
Adjunct Professor; Expressive Arts Therapies
Online Instruction for Masters and Certificate level courses.
San Diego University for Integrative Studies, San Diego, CA
2010-2011
BIBLIOGRAPHY/ PRESS
2021
- There San Diego- Gallery Feature. March 12, 2021
- Downtown San Diego News- Gallery Feature. March 5, 2021
- Upperley Magazine: 4 Female Artists to Follow. February 2021
2020
- There San Diego- Holiday Gift Guide Feature- December 16, 2020
- Shout Out Socal- Interview Feature. December 15, 2020
- Fox 5 News San Diego- Live Interview Segment. 10PM, May 8
- San Diego Home and Garden Magazine- March Issue
2019
- In Her Studio Magazine- Winter Issue. 6 page feature.
- There San Diego – September and October
- Fox 5 News San Diego- Live Interview Segment. 945 AM, October 3,
- San Diego Home and Garden- January and March. Double page features.
- Make Share Grow Podcast
- Yellow Collective Periodical
2018
- Featured on KUSI, Good Morning San Diego, 5/31
- Balboa Park Conservancy. Interview Feature. 5/25
- SD Voyager Magazine. Art & Life with Stefanie Bales. Interview Feature. 4/10.
- Micromeetup Magazine. Interview Feature.
2017
- San Diego Woman’s Magazine, Interview Feature. 10th anniversary Issue. 8/17.
- Southern California Homes, Artist Feature of Sirens, pg __. May 2017
- Pacific San Diego Magazine, Artist Feature of Sirens, pg 41. February 2017
- Fine Art Connoisseur Magazine, Artist Feature of ‘Sirens’ February 2017 Issue.
- Art Ltd. Magazine. Page 92, March/April 2017 Edition.
- Union Tribune, Night & Day. Artist Feature, pg 24. January 11, 2017.
- Pacific San Diego Magazine, Artist Feature, pg 41. January 2017.
EXHIBITIONS: SOLO SHOWS / GROUP SHOWS / COLLABORATIONS
2020
- Life is Beautiful Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA. 5/1-6.30
- EraseCovid.com International Artist Collaboration- Spring 2020
- San Diego Museum of Art, Gallery Collective Event + Mural Debut. 3/12
2019
- Art You Enjoy, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA. 11/30-2.12
- One Paseo Fall Bazaar, San Diego, CA. 11/23
- Music As Muse, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA 9/21-11/24
- Potentia Therapy Pop-Up, San Diego, CA. 10/4
- Lens to Brush, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA. 6.29-9/10
- Minis Exhibition. Sparks Gallery, San Diego, CA. 5/25-8/18
- 4 year anniversary show, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA 4/20-6/25
- Mission Federal Artwalk, Little Italy, San Diego, 4/25-4/26
2018
- Music As Muse. Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA. 6/3-7/29
- Fiesta Botanica. Balboa Park. Live artist demonstration. May 26.
- Unique Techniques. Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA. 5/5-5/29
- Fashion Week San Diego Spring Showcase, The Carlsbad Flower Fields, San Diego. 4/7
- Flora + Fauna: Adelman Fine Art. San Diego, CA 3/3-4/29
- Yellow Conference Tour. Pop-up Exhibition. 177 Building, San Diego CA 92101. 2/17
- Winter Exhibition: Ary you EnJOY. Adelman Fine Art. San Diego, CA 12/2-1/28
2017
- Fashion Week San Diego. The Art & Beauty Behind Fashion. 10.5.17
- Season’s Lure. Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA
- Sea & Wander. Pop-Up Exhibition at The Little Black House. 2314 India Street, San Diego CA. 9/17
- Artwalk San Diego, Liberty Station. With Adelman Fine Art. San Diego, CA. 8/13-8/14.
- West Elm San Diego, Pop-Up Shop. 5080 Mission Center Rd, San Diego, CA 92108 8.5.17, 11-3pm
- Blue Me Away Exhibition & Summer Small Works Show. Adelman Fine Art. San Diego, CA. 7/1-8/27
- Minis / A group show. Sparks Gallery, San Diego, CA. 5/27 – 7/9
- 2nd Anniversary Show, Adelman Fine Art, San Diego, CA. 4/22-6/25
- Edge of the Ocean. Sparks Gallery. San Diego, CA. 2/18-4/21
- Landscapes & Bloom, Adelman Fine Art. San Diego, CA. 2/4-3/26
My most recent works are collections of acrylic and mixed media intuitive paintings, many of which are inspired by the coastal topographies of Southern California, but others are interpretations of geographies that are much less specific. My land and seascapes are meant to invoke whimsy and serenity, and the universal feeling we, as humans, collectively draw from nature and from the sea.
My process is similar to collage work, but instead of cut and paste, I’m using an photo transfer process to transfer bits of texture and imagery onto the canvas which I intermix with my primary medium- acrylic paint. This lends to an overall visual that plays upon both hyper-realism and surrealism, but also in some way pays homage to impressionism with regards to the focus on the role of light and time. My aim is that the viewer sees the work as a whole, and it isn’t until further investigation that the incongruities that give it it’s “dream-like” qualities are noticed. With that being said, the visual by-product is actually secondary to what my technique lends in process. What this method allows is a certain freedom to respond intuitively to color, texture and form since I don’t have a set visual map or frame of reference that I’m following. I start with one inspiration, be that color, concept or form, and just let the painting come to itself with each progressive mark. It’s an exciting way to work because it allows me to a peek into my own subconscious and reflect upon my visual preferences, inclinations and memories as my body of work grows. I’ve definitely discovered my strong feminine point of view by working this way.
All of my paintings question the reality of time, and the role of time in the way that we live- they conjure up questions about the changing, fleeting and infinite amount of it- As in Twilight where day and night exist in the same plane, Epiphany where the seascape is represented through multiple perspectives, or Nostalgia where both classical and contemporary imagery coexist to formulate one visual story. I often say that the paintings are inspired by the concept of daydreams, but they aren’t representations of daydreams specifically, rather they reflect that state where time exists outside of itself. Visually, this takes form through color story, romantic imagery, and the poetic representation of everyday subjects and experiences. My most recurring inspirations are the color palette created by the rising and setting sun, the texture and movement of the sea, and the cultural and geographic dimensions of an ever-changing landscape.
As Seen In
