Artist of the Week: Hannah Stouffer

It was Gandhi that said, "Freedom is not worth having if it does not include the freedom to make mistakes", and it is that concept that lays the foundation for the work of Hannah Stouffer. It's not that her work is filled with mistakes, no in fact there are many fine precisions and details that she adds, but it is more that she works in a way that allows for freedom. For me what makes watercolor so beautiful is its ability to spread out and explore a canvas, and beneath the darker and primal imagery in Hannah's work is that exploration and searching watercolors expanding on their own across the canvas.

Yes, I mentioned darkness, but in Hannah's work it more like contrast, vibrant and brilliant contrast. She uses color and imagery to explore the darker elements of life, but also includes the opposite of that in vivid splashes of light. It quite effective and moving.

Recently, Hannah was kind enough to answer a few of my questions.

Orange Alert (OA): Several of your pieces use watercolor as one of their elements. Is that harder to control than other paints? Is that what draws you to watercolors?
Hannah Stouffer (HS): I love that I don't have control over the watercolor most of the time, it feels really freeing. I also really enjoy the precision in gouache and line work but its amazing to let that all go sometimes. I love accommodating error.

OA: Where some artist deal with the conflict of man vs nature your work seems to explore the darkness in nature itself. Is that an accurate statement?
HS: I envision that I like to explore the darkness that is imminent- the darkness within in the light, the contrast within the two, destiny and fate. A lot of times nature plays a role in this only because I have developed a really strong sense of nostalgia for the animal kingdom and it is a big part of our natural environment.

OA: How did you get involved with Blood is the New Black, and how is that relationship going?
HS: I think I just emailed Mitra (the owner of Blood) one day a couple years ago and its been an amazing roller coaster ride of moonbeams fulfilling my deepest fantasies of glistening dolphins drifting through the vastness of our universe ever since….

OA: You recently posted a teaser on your blog of you new project for Vans. What was it like working Vans and do you feel this project will open other doors for you?
HS: Shhhhhhhhhh..….

OA: Between October and November you are involved in five different shows. How long does it take you to prepare for a show and do you typically attend the opening night?
HS: God, really? Thats insane… My October was nuts. I was all over the place. I went to SF and NY for openings, and was pretty busy here in LA just trying to keep up with everything. I kind of like maxing it out to the max- deadlines make me hustle. I tend to work on 20 things at once so I can pull it together in a couple months time. I like to try to attend most of the openings- even if I show up an hour or two too late, it gives me an excuse to travel and say hi to people I don't see enough.

OA: What's next for Hannah Stouffer?
HS: I want to make moving pictures.

Bonus Questions:
OA: If you could sit down to coffee with anyone (alive or dead) who would it be?
HS: Marchesa Luisa Casati, Dead- Per Yngve Ohlin, from Mayhem, Andy Warhol and Deanne Cheuk- all at once.

OA: What type of music do you enjoy and who are a few of your favorites?
HS: I listen to a lot of gangster rap, RnB and metal- Gucci Mane, Mac Mall, R Kelly, King Diamond, Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult…

I appreciate your time and attention and look forward to reading and sharing your answers with my readers.

For more information on Hannah Stouffer please visit her website.