STEPHANIE BIRDSALL received her formal training at the City and Guilds of London Art School in England. After graduation she spent time traveling through Europe honing her skills as a plein air painter. Upon her return to the United States, Stephanie has been fortunate to study under several top artists including: Doug Dawson, Albert Handel, Ramon Kelly and Frank Federico and has been fortunate to paint under the tutilage of Richard Schmid and the Putney Painters.

Her work has garnered recognition and awards in national and international juried exhibitions. She has exhibited at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in London, England, in Bargemon, France and at the National Arts Club in New York. Among the awards she has received are Best in Show at the Bridgeport Museum of Arts and Science, the Grumbacher Gold Medallion Award, the Degas Pastel Society Exceptional Merit Award,the Connecticut Pastel Society Herman Margulies Award and the Catherine Lorillard Wolf Arts Club, John Manship Award. In 2004 her work was selected by the National Academy of the Arts for inclusion in the Arts for the Parks National Exhibition.

Stephanie's work has been published in International Artist Magazine and The Pastel Journal. Public Brodcasting station WGCU aired a special on her work in June of 2005 as part of their "Expressions" television series.

Stephanie's work is among the permanent collections of the Museum of the Everglades, Everglades National Monument; Florida Museum of Art & Culture and The Florida State Art Collection of the Florida State Capital.

Stephanie holds signature membership in the Pastel Society of Connecticut, and the Plein Air Society of Florida and is a juried associate of the Pastel Society of America. She is a member of The Degas Pastel Society, Catherine Lorillard Wolf Arts Club, The National Association of Women Artists, The Pastel Society of Colorado, The Patel Society of New Mexico, The Pastel Society of Southwest Florida, Oil Painters of America and the United Arts Council of Collier County.

When not traveling on location to paint plein air, Ms. Birdsall spends her time working and teaching in her studio and gallery by the waterfront of Naples Harbor in Naples, Florida.

Her love affair with painting is well expressed by her words:
“I am constantly inspired by the beauty of this world; each moment is precious, infused with feeling and worthy of recording. I paint the moment. The instant a subject captures my attention; it is etched in my mind. Whether I am plein air painting in the Everglades or in my studio, I work to convey the feeling of the moment. My life and soul are dedicated to art and I have been blessed with the freedom to live my life as an artist. There has never been anything else I wanted to be or do.”