PHOTO BY Wayne Shimabukuro
Colors, materials, and fugitive ideas move me to paint.
I paint on linen with oils - usually, but not always,
employing a dry-brush technique.
I often paint in series, which allows me to explore
a concept from various angles.
Like many artists, I am interested in color, surface,
edges and composition.
My heroes are Giotto, for his clarity and sincerity; Morandi, for his economy of means; Rothko, for his sumptuous color; and of course,
Tom Wudl, my mentor and friend for the past twenty-five years, for his depth of knowledge and understanding.
BIO
Born: Omaha, NE; lives in Pasadena, CA; works in Los Angeles
SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2021 Lockdown Art: StudioEleven Practices, The Colburn School, Los Angeles, CA
2021 lately ii, CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2019 Nouveau, CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2016 Gretel Stephens, CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2015 Abstract Mystique, Kellogg Gallery, CSUPomona, Pomona, CA
Winter Salon, CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis MN
Gretel Stephens: Reflections, Ruth Bachofner Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2014 5x5, Westmont College, Santa Barbara, CA
17 X 70+, Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA
Distinguished Artists Series (2 person show), Towns Burr Gallery, Burbank, CA
Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
Summer Salon, CIRCA Gallery, Minneapolis, MN
2013 Three Artists, Holly Hunt, Los Angeles
Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
2012 Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
2011 Now You See It (solo show), Tom Wudl’s Open Studio, Los Angeles
Solid Stripes Group Show, LaunchLA at Merry Karnowsky Gallery, Los Angeles
Off the Wall, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA
Incognito, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
2010 Gretel Stephens/Recent Works, Lawrence Asher Gallery, Los Angeles
California Open, Long Beach Arts, Long Beach, CA
For Roland, Bunny Gunner Gallery, Pomona, CA
2009 Off the Wall, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA
2008 Painting's Edge, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild, CA; Riverside Art Museum, Riverside, CA
2007 Gretel Stephens/Paintings, Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles
Hausguests, the Brewery Project, Los Angeles
Off the Wall, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA
2006 Painting's Edge, Parks Exhibition Center, Idyllwild; Riverside Art Museum,Fullerton College, CA
Dynamic Essence, Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles
2005 An Evening of Art, Barnsdall Park, Los Angeles
Art In Windows (Pasadena Art Alliance), Pasadena, CA
2003 Visual Poetry, Krueger Gallery, Pasadena, CA
PSA Annual, Modern Art Gallery, Los Angeles
2002 PSA Diamond Jubilee, Pasadena Heritage Museum, Pasadena, CA
New Year Exhibit, Krueger Gallery, Pasadena, CA
Six Painters, Krueger Gallery, Pasadena, CA
2001 Opening Exhibition,, Krueger Gallery, Pasadena, CA
Objects of Desire, Santa Monica Museum of Art, Santa Monica, CA
Galaxy, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA
2000 Bred in the Bone (solo exhibition), Cal Poly Pomona Downtown Gallery, Pomona, CA
Anniversary Exhibition, Finegood Gallery, West hills, CA
5 Women Painters, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA
1998 Works, Finegood Gallery, West Hills, CA
1996 Pasadena Art Space exhibit, Pasadena, CA
PSA Annual, Armory Center for the Arts, Pasadena, CA
1994 Parkway Grill, Pasadena, CA
Now and Again, Catavinos, Pasadena, CA
1993 Observations, Catavinos, Pasadena, CA
1991 Addictions, Santa Barbara Contemporary Art Forum, Santa Barbara, CA
1990 Mission West Annual, South Pasadena, CA
PSA Annual, Downey Museum of Art, Downey, CA
1989 A Book in Hand, Arvada Center for the Arts, Denver, CO
1987 Books without Bounds, Irvine Fine Art Center, Irvine, CA
Undercover, Fresno Art Center and Museum, Fresno, CA
Bookworks, Salem Art Association, Salem, OR
1985 Many Voices, Many Visions, Brand Library, Glendale, CA
1984 Olympix, Richard Evans Gallery, Glendale, CA
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Brown, Betty Ann, "Gretel Stephens: Painting as Contemplative Practice"
Gretel Stephens/Paintings (catalog), Los Angeles, CA, 2007
Carmichael, Jae, Pasadena Society of Artists Diamond Jubilee (catalog), Pasadena, CA, 2002
Clegg, Nancy, "Book'em," Westword, Denver, CO, Nov. 15, 1989
DeAngelo, Darlene D., For Roland (catalog), Claremont, CA, 2010
Duncan, Michael, "Gretel Stephens at Jan Baum," Art in America, New York, NY,
Jan. 2008
Gabrielson, Walter, Addictions (catalog), Santa Barbara Contemporary Art Forum,
Santa Barbara, CA, 1991
Geer, Suvan, "(Previews of Exhibitions): Gretel Stephens," Art Scene, Los Angeles, CA, Jan. 2007
Hettig, Frank, "A Short Introduction to Gretel Stephens and Her Art of Transformation," Gretel Stephens/Paintings (catalog), Los Angeles, CA, 2007
Hugo, Joan and Pascal, Barbara, Many Voices, Many Visions (catalog), Glendale, CA, 1985
La Vally, Judith, "Gretel Stephens: Getting to the Heart of Things," Repertoire (cover illustration), Pasadena, CA, 1994
Miles, Christopher, 5 Women Painters (catalog), Claremont Graduate University,
Claremont, CA, 2000
Masetto, David, "In Harmony," Milieu Magazine, Spring Issue, 2021
Mugnaini, Joseph, Expressive Drawing, Davis Publications, 1988
Roemer, Diane L., "Romanticizing the Bone," The Sunday Star, Pasadena, CA
PUBLIC COLLECTIONS
CIM Group, Los Angeles, CA
Monte Cedro, Pasadena, CA
Pasadena Senior Center, Pasadena, CA
Paul Hastings, Los Angeles, CA
UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA
Santa Monica Hospital, Santa Monica, CA
Loewe's Hotel, Santa Monica, CA