Hannah Stoll is GlogauAIR resident
from January, 2023 to March, 2023
“My current paintings are based off of my own photography of daily life. They concern memory, nostalgia, relationships, and gathering places.” Hannah Stoll
Meet the Artist
What’s your name and where you come from?
Hannah Stoll, VT, USA
How did your artist journey begin?
I have always spent time drawing and painting, but I did not begin my regular studio practice until the
summer of 2020 in the wake of the pandemic. I started oil painting out of a need for creative
expression and the meditative headspace it gave me. At first I was very interested in portraiture and
practicing formal technique, but through exposure to various art communities this has evolved into an
interest in using paint as a form of personal, wordless communication.
Do you find inspiration in real-life situations and moments you experienced?
Yes, I am often inspired by visual events in my life. I take a lot of photos and interpret my experience
of these moments through paint.
What is your process? What are your overarching themes in your artwork?
My process is changing a lot these days, but generally an idea for a work begins with something I see
in the world that sparks a connection in my head to themes that resonate with me. Because I am a
visual mental processor, I often have ideas about color and composition before I know what the
subject matter will be. I take photos and videos and use those as reference material, sometimes
painting a composition quite literally and sometimes creating a composite or abstracted painting only
loosely based on the photos. I use oil paint and mix my colors from a limited selection of primaries. I
am very drawn to texture, layering, loose and quick line work, and subtractive techniques. My work
tends to depict people and the built environment, speaking to the way people interact and respond
emotionally to experiences.
Do you think your art has evolved being in a different environment E.g. Do you
think GlogauAIR / being in Berlin has influenced your work?
Yes—I have not spent time in a city with as much opportunity to see art as Berlin, and have loved the
chance to draw inspiration from the overwhelming amount of creativity here. Talking to local artists
and the other residents and about their work and their life experience is helping me develop my
creative practice as well as better understand practical options for working as an artist, I.e. school,
funding, etc. I have done a lot of experimentation here and have been able to expand the way I see
my practice in a way that feels very exciting.
Statement
Hannah Stoll (b. 1997, NYC) was raised in rural Vermont where she first learned to paint in oil. Following curiosities about the natural world, she obtained a B.A. in Organismal Biology and Ecology in the spring of 2020. Though this experience shaped both her perspective and methods of thought, after graduating she quickly redirected her efforts towards pursuing a career in the arts. While living in a mountain town in western Colorado, Stoll began working for artists and creative nonprofits while taking up a studio practice of her own. She has exhibited work in various galleries in Western Colorado, Denver, and Vancouver, BC.
Stoll’s paintings have been linked to photography from the start, though the relationship between the two mediums has evolved over time. Because her practice was born in the wake of the pandemic, she has a persistent interest in the role of technology in the way we socialize and see ourselves. Her paintings are often conspicuously painted from photos, existing in a balance where technology is used as a tool, with one’s immediate reality and company taking precedence every time.
GlogauAIR Project
My current paintings concern memory, nostalgia, and the act of looking. In particular, I am interested in the habit of outsourcing memory to a camera roll. My photography captures that which might otherwise be left behind but carries intangible kinds of importance and the trace of other senses. I am particularly drawn to figures, relationships, and gathering places. Painting in reference to these photos becomes a process of careful looking as I work to distill the psychology of the moment. Expressive line quality and interpretations of complex light are central to my evolving approach.
During the residency I plan to continue my work of interpreting snapshots of my experience in oil. I look forward to responding to the city of Berlin, with its uniquely lively social culture, international community, and particular brand of well-loved infrastructure. The community of the residency itself is an excellent opportunity to hear new perspectives, gain inspiration, and grow through critique.
I would like to gratefully acknowledge the support of the Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation in making this residency possible for me.
Drawing and Painting
CV Summary
EDUCATION
- Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO, 2016-2020 , Bachelor of Arts in Biology and Ecology
EXHIBITIONS
- 2023 – (upcoming), The Art Base, Basalt, CO, Solo exhibition
- 2023 – Carbondale Clay Center, Carbondale, CO, The Way We Are: Women in the Roaring Fork Valley
- 2022 – Pendulum Gallery, Vancouver, BC, NEXT: Eastside Culture Crawl Preview Exhibit
- 2022 – Aspen Chapel Gallery, Aspen, CO, Group Exhibition w/ nonprofit Voices
- 2022 – R2 Gallery, Carbondale, CO, Prospects: Solo Exhibition
- 2022 – Red Brick Center for the Arts, Aspen, CO, Intimate Appearances: Group Exhibition
- 2022 – R2 Gallery, Carbondale, CO, Valley Visual Art Show: Group Exhibition
- 2021 – West + Main Homes Gallery, Denver, CO, Solo Exhibition
- 2021 – The Arvada Center, Arvada, CO, Viral Influence: Art in the Time of Coronavirus
RESIDENCIES AND AWARDS
- 2023 – (upcoming), GlogauAIR, Berlin, Germany
- 2023 – Elizabeth Greenshields Foundation Grant
- 2022 – First Place People’s Choice Award, Valley Visual Art Show, R2 Gallery
- 2015 – Allison Green Fine Arts Scholarship
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- 2022 – Red Brick Center for the Arts, Aspen, CO, Art instructor
- 2022 – The Art Base, Basalt, CO, Art instructor
- 2022 – The Project Shop, Carbondale, CO, Studio assistant
- 2022 – Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO, Children’s Workshop Faculty
- 2021 – 2022 – Isa Catto Studio, Woody Creek, CO, Graphic Design & Studio Assistant
- 2020 – Anderson Ranch Arts Center, Snowmass, CO, Print Shop Intern
- 2020 – Cipher Magazine, Colorado College, CO, Editor & Contributing Artist
- 2019 – Arts and Crafts Dept., Colorado College, CO, Adjunct Screenprinting Teacher
Gallery
