Pursuit of the Muse

In her latest show, Pursuit of the Muse, painter Stephanie Spay embarks on a journey she invites viewers to join, seeking inspiration. Her impressionistic style perfectly blends her intentionally substantial brushstrokes with the soft yet vibrant color palettes in each piece, while still drawing attention to the ever-fleeting "muse" in each piece. 

This show is a collection of oil paintings; some portraits, others still lifes. While these pieces focus on different subjects, they all ask the same question: "What does it mean to have a muse?" While she works on her pieces, Spay takes time to feel inspired before adding to each piece. This means that a painting may take weeks, even months. She is ever faithful to the external influences behind each piece. This can happen at random, and Spay can't predict when it will strike. It could be in the middle of the day with family or during work around the house. 

While inspiration can come from many sources, Spay has found that certain colors follow her from painting to painting. She has figured out that it is very likely that each painting will contain the same soft pink, bright blue, and yellow; these colors have joined her on this journey to pursue the muse. This is evident when looking at the different paintings in this show; each contains a variation of these colors in its palette. Because of this, they are cohesive and depict the same train of thought.

Along with the colors that bring this show together, the different depictions show how Spay uses her craft to process her feelings on a given day. These paintings show "lots of visual representations of emotions that can't be explained with words." A perfect example of this is the painting titled Pursuit of the Muse, which depicts a group of women seated around a table, all talking, reading, and interacting with one another. The painting is warm and vibrant, perfectly capturing the feeling of sitting with loved ones and simply enjoying each other's company. It is clear that Spay has captured these emotions perfectly in this painting, which perhaps couldn't be expressed in words.

While viewing this show, take time to reflect on how we are inspired in our own lives and how that can occur when we least expect it. Because of this, we can move through life with joy, curiosity, and a desire to be changed for the better by the people and world around us.