Theresa Wells Stifel

Artist Statement

Theresa Wells Stifel is a mixed-media artist whose practice explores the intersection of historical preservation and contemporary figurative study. Primarily self-taught but deeply rooted in traditional needlework and painting, Stifel utilizes mixed-media techniques to recontextualize vintage goods. Her work is characterized by a "material-first" approach, where hand-stitching and found documents are used to build layers of history and texture beneath subjects of the female form and aquatic environments.

Stifel’s professional trajectory is marked by a commitment to the arts ecosystem. As the founder of Stifel & Capra and the current visionary behind York & Main, she has curated numerous exhibitions, including the Artist Helping Others series. By blending domestic craft with fine art principles, Stifel challenges the boundaries between the utilitarian and the aesthetic. Her work remains a vital contribution to the Mid-Atlantic art scene, offering a nuanced look at how we carry the past into the future.

The pieces submitted are available in the any of the timelines offered.