Stefanie studied at the National College of Photography in Pretoria, where she graduated with a joint best portfolio award, (2004). After her studies, she started a commercial photography studio and was represented by Shine Photographers Johannesburg. In 2008, Stefanie moved to the UK where she studied for a diploma in Transpersonal Integrative Psychotherapy at the Centre for Counseling and Psychotherapy Education in London, (2009 – 2013). In June 2015 Stefanie returned to South Africa. She has been a full-time artist since 2015. In 2022 she was awarded as one of the winners of The British Journal of Photography’s Female in focus awards. In 2023 she was awarded as a finalist in the Lensculture Black and White awards, and became a winner in the Lensculture Art photography awards 2024. Recently she has also been shortlisted for British Journal of Photography Portrait of Humanity Vol 6, and as a finalist in BBA Prizes, where her work was exhibited at Kuhlhaus, Berlin. Her work has been Published in the book Eye Mama: Poetic Truths of Home and Motherhood by Karni Arieli (foreword by Allesia Glaviano) and featured in: The Guardian; British Journal of Photography; Seezeen Magazine; Brenda Magazine; Hashtagphotomag; Unvael Journal; Oath Journal; Korper Magazine; Accumen Magazine; FotoFemme United etc. She has been exhibited all around South Africa as well as in London, UK; Paris, France; Uslan, South Korea; Miami, and in New York, USA.
Artist Statement
“My work is mainly concerned with the feminine, and what it means to be a woman, with a special focus on girlhood, pregnancy and motherhood. I look at how self-image, body image and perceptions of the feminine self become distorted through what is being mirrored to us in a society that is so obsessed with the female image. My images represent in most part manifestations of emotional and feeling states, quietly making the invisible more visible. Throughout my work, I also explore themes of love and fear, death and transformation, gender, relationship, and dreams.”
