Stephanie Peek

In Uniform Language, an installation of 10” square paintings, Stephanie Peek has used military camouflage patterns as a device to more peaceful ends.

Early in the 20th century, the United States military adapted the nature studies of American painter Abbot Thayer to conceal ships, weapons and soldiers. Thayer made studies based on his theories of the natural protection afforded animals and birds, which render themselves invisible through “concealing coloration” and silhouette disruption. Subsequently, governments throughout the world hired artists, known as camoufleurs, to design a wide variety of camouflage specific to different environments.

Peek reclaims these various patterns of concealment by re-contextualizing the camouflage of troubled countries into oil paintings on alabaster-gessoed panels, thereby transforming these patterns from their military usage to a more peaceful purpose.

Stephanie Peek’s paintings show regularly in galleries and museums nationally and internationally, and are in private collections worldwide. She graduated with an MFA in painting from the University of California, Berkeley and BA in Art History from Wellesley College. Awards and honors include Visiting Artist at the American Academy in Rome, Borso di Studio in Florence, Italy, J. Ruth Kelsey Travel Grant, Susan B. Irwin Scholarship in the Visual Arts, Virginia McPheter-Stoltz Fellowship.

Learn more about her work at Satellite of.Love Gallery.