“All experiences are inside me and retransform into my art.”
The Diverse and Inimitable Artistic Practice of Luana Stebule
Luana Stebule is an artist and poet who has made significant strides in the global art landscape. This year, she was distinguished as one of the “Top 10 Contemporary Artists 2023” by World of Art Magazine, marking a crowning achievement in her career. Her creative journey, which spans over a decade, has been largely centred in the United Kingdom since 2013, despite her roots tracing back to Lithuania where she was born in 1962.
Stebule’s educational background boasts of robust training in fine arts. She is a proud alumnus of A. Martinaitis Art School and the Academy of Art, institutions that fostered her inherent artistic talent and honed her creative acumen. Following her academic pursuits, she dedicated more than two decades of her life working in the Kaunas Musical Theatre in the capacity of an artist.
Her creative portfolio is a testament to her vibrant and prolific career. Stebule has conjured 12 distinct stage projects for Lithuanian theatres, adding a feather to the cap of Lithuania’s performing arts scene. Moreover, her works have graced the walls of numerous exhibitions – 22 solo and 69 group showcases to be precise. These exhibitions have taken her art across European countries such as Italy, Spain, Portugal, France, Lithuania, Switzerland, Hungary, and the Czech Republic, and beyond Europe to England, Japan, and the United States.
Additionally, her flair for the written word has culminated in the publication of three poetry books in Lithuanian, and the notable “Ephemeral Awakening” in English. This body of work further enriches her creative legacy, illuminating her literary prowess in addition to her visual artistry.
Growing up in a household steeped in art books, Stebule was imbued with a love for art from a young age. As a teenager, she was deeply inspired by biographies of celebrated artists, including the likes of Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Vincent Van Gogh, Pieter Bruegel, and Sandro Botticelli. Such exposure nurtured her budding artistic aspirations, ultimately igniting within her an unyielding desire to become an artist. This desire subsequently propelled her to complete her education in fine arts in Kaunas at A. Martinaitis Art School and the Academy of Art, setting the stage for her illustrious artistic journey.
Exploring Themes and Transformative Reflections in Luana Stebule’s Art
The artistic practice of Luana Stebule radiates a distinct and inimitable quality that defies straightforward classification. Within the corpus of her work, traces of diverse stylistic influences, from impressionism and pointillism to abstractionism and surrealism, coexist harmoniously. Stebule never restricts herself to a single technique or style, instead preferring the thrill of explorative creativity and self-expression.
Her thematic focus encompasses a broad spectrum, featuring subjects such as women, urban life, nature, interpersonal relationships, and the nuanced connections between them. The transformative year of 2020, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, saw the emergence of Stebule’s characteristic ‘dancing lines’, resulting in a series of approximately 20 vibrant oil-on-canvas paintings. The circumstances of this period resonated deeply with Stebule, stirring reflections on family, friendship, the human condition, and the cyclical nature of existence.
Stebule’s creative process manifests itself through a multiplicity of media, depending on the inspiration and the approach she brings to each individual theme. Her preferred methods include oil and acrylic on canvas, collage, and mixed media. In her mixed media pieces, she innovatively combines watercolors, acrylics, and oil pastels on paper, achieving a unique visual harmony that distinguishes her work.
The Versatility and Richness of Luana Stebule’s Artistic Arsenal
The preponderance of Luana Stebule’s contemporary creations comprise oil on canvas. In her artistic arsenal, oil paint and canvas reign supreme, despite the deliberate, almost contemplative drying pace of the oil paint posing an intriguing challenge. Stebule does not limit her creativity to paint alone. Her versatility extends into the realm of collage art, where she incorporates diverse elements such as wood, mirrors, textiles, sawdust, and leather, as well as everyday household items. This variety of materials adds complexity to the process, yet results in a richness of texture and depth.
Stebule draws profound inspiration from nature and humanity, the two forces she considers to be the most potent influences on her art. It appears that her artistic vision is shaped by a wide-ranging set of experiences and stimuli. The books she has devoured, the individuals she has crossed paths with, her travels, the symphonies of music she has been moved by, and other forms of art she has encountered all contribute to the tapestry of her creativity. Nature’s omnipresence, too, has left an indelible imprint on her work. These diverse influences and experiences do not merely exist within her; rather, they undergo a profound metamorphosis, ultimately reborn and immortalized through her art.
Unveiling the Emotional Depth and Ambitious Vision of Luana Stebule
The extensive body of work produced by Luana Stebule invariably carries profound significance, each piece imbued with a personal narrative. A quintessential instance of this emotional depth is embodied in her 2005 collage, “Generational Touch.” This particular composition melds Stebule’s grandmother’s intricate cross-stitches, the unique handprint of her daughter, and cherished photographs of her mother, culminating in a harmonious blend under the final strokes of oil paint. This piece is a testament to her distinct creative process, akin to an orchestrated jazz improvisation, serving as a heartfelt exploration of her family’s shared history and memories.
Stebule’s vivid imagination is replete with ambitious aspirations, including the dream of orchestrating her solo exhibitions in renowned art capitals such as London, Rome, or Madrid. This vision of hers extends beyond traditional gallery presentations; Stebule conceives a dynamic environment where ballet dancers or pantomime artists, adorned with her artwork as if it were wearable art — draped over their shoulders or cradled in their hands — move in harmony with the accompanying music. This unique interaction is then followed by the traditional display of her art on gallery walls, creating an immersive and captivating experience for the audience.
