Stéphanie de Malherbe

Stéphanie de Malherbe is a painter based in Pays de la Loire, France. Themes of poetry, hope, freedom and God feed into many of her works. Her paintings - which border on abstraction - vibrate with juxtaposing colours, transparencies and luminescent layering. These elements all work together to give the impression of light and depth and to transmit an almost spiritual beauty.

Stéphanie de Malherbe’s Early Career

Stéphanie achieved an MA in Graphic Design with Honours at Penninghen (E.S.AG. : Ecole Supérieure d'Art Graphique) in Paris, France. She also participated in an etching course in San Lorenzo de El Escorial, Spain, and a painting course with esteemed Mexican painter Gilberto Aceves Navarro. Before painting full-time, Stéphanie worked with Jean-Paul Gaultier in Paris. Stephanie was chosen to draw Jean Paul Gaultier's costume ideas to show Luc Besson for his film The Fifth Element. Since then, her painting technique has been enriched by numerous trips throughout the world.

Artistic Process

Stéphanie often begins her paintings by attempting to transform or interpret something that moves her, either from life or a picture. When working on a portrait, however, she focuses purely on the eyes to capture their soul. Lastly, if an idea strikes her, she will let it be her guide and paint from pure imagination. Thanks to these alternative approaches, all her canvases become self-contained words borne from intuition and meaningful sources of inspiration. The artist meticulously blends, compliments and alternates hues and tones to create contrast and harmony. With a spontaneous use of colour, Stephanie also makes an interactive link between the way she sees the world and how she paints it. In this way, she does not just paint people or landscapes; she paints their souls.

Exhibitions and Collections

Stéphanie participated for the first time in an exhibition in 1989 with two illustrations at the Grand Palais in Paris, during the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs. She has gone on to exhibit worldwide, in France, Mexico, England, Spain, Belgium, Switzerland and beyond. In addition, her works have been homed by collectors in the USA, Australia, Italy and Holland. Stephanie has received over 250 portrait commissions and continues to be highly sought after.