We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Stefani Rabideaux. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Stefani below.

Stefani, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Ever since I was a child who first held a pencil in hand, I knew I was going to be an Artist. It runs through my blood. My Grandmother was an artist and my Mother, too. I grew up watching her hand draw her favorite bands from the 70s and 80s while my Dad played drums in a band in the other room. Our house was flooded with passion and creativity. I was also lucky enough to grow up in the 90s and be surrounded by, what I believe to be, the most creative and enchanting decade for young minds. Film, animation, and music were booming with wild, mesmerizing themes which led me to believe anything was possible. There was no doubt in my mind that I would be an Artist.

Stefani, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a self-taught Artist. I started out with charcoal, graphites and inks which eventually led into Acrylics and Oils. I loathed Acrylics and watercolors were proving to be quite a struggle so I played around with Acryla Gouache and immediately fell in love. It was that perfect middle ground where it doesn’t dry up too fast and offers a vast amount of vibrant and decadent colors but inevitably fell back into my love for black and white tones, working with graphite washes and inks again. I also caved in and decided to learn how to draw digitally through Procreate; it’s been such a fun challenge and the possibilities are endless! Since Art School wasn’t in the cards for me, I knew there was only one way to learn; just dive in. I started attending markets and conventions year after year which led to traveling out of state for them and ultimately became the best decision I ever made. I’ve met so many wonderful, like-minded creatives in the industry from every age group throughout the years. I’ve stayed and learned under Gallery Owners, traveled with Artist friends and became a Disney Wonderground Artist, which has been a childhood dream of mine. You can find some of my Disney work at Orlando and California’s Disney Springs and Theme Parks. So far, that has been my proudest accomplishment as a self-taught Artist.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

As I mentioned earlier, Art School wasn’t an option for me. My family and I lost our home when I was a teen so I bounced from house to house, staying with friends and family throughout High School until I lived on my own, all while dealing with the loss of both of my Grandmothers. It was the most difficult time in my life, I had to immediately take responsibility for myself. I managed to meet deadlines for my Advanced Art classes and graduated. Once I did. I worked three jobs, one being an Art Teacher for preschoolers which led to a full time position. I was able to do what I love during the day and work on my own personal work at night while doing shows on the weekends. Looking back, I wouldn’t trade those times for anything. Dark times added fuel to my fire and helped inspire wicked and enchanting work along the way.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

It’s tough choosing just one aspect but I believe one of the greatest rewards of being an Artist is the feeling of connecting with people on a deeper, more emotional level. Artists naturally create from vulnerable experiences whether consciously or subconsciously and when people share their experiences and reasons for connecting with your creations, it reminds you why it’s important to share your work. It’s adds a whole new layer of meaning to what you originally created. Knowing my artwork has touched lives enough to reside in their homes for years to come and possibly be passed down is absolutely fulfilling.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/stefanirabideaux
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stefanirabideaux/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNtc139JSSOQY-5GBCQRurQ
• Other: Wholesale: https://stefanirabideaux.faire.com/