Stephanie Bagwell was born in Jupiter, Florida in 1988. Her family moved around a lot when she was young but by the time she was 6 years old, they decided to settle down in Wilmington, North Carolina. There, she spent her days catching crawdads in the creek and fishing in the marsh across the street. Growing up on Pages Creek gave her an understanding and respect for the ocean at a young age. Throughout her childhood, she began to find an appreciation for the creative world. Her first obsession was making pottery with blue clay she found in her own back yard. Her mother still has her very first "flower pot"- seemingly made out of dirt. Thanks to her parents' unwavering support, she never stopped creating. When she was in high school she entered her first art contest and won first place, which ignited a fire in her that could never be put out. 

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Stephanie later graduated from The University of North Carolina Wilmington in 2010, with a BA in Communication Studies and a Minor in Studio Art. She was recognized with several awards for her ceramic sculptures during those collegiate years. Upon graduation, she ventured to Atlanta and entered the corporate world. Art never left her soul and neither did her love for the ocean. Several years into climbing the corporate ladder, she made the choice to move back to North Carolina and pursue art full time.

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Stephanie was a painting instructor for 6 years in Raleigh, North Carolina, teaching a variety of class levels. Now that she no longer teaches, she offers commissions and artistic services locally and nationally. She recently began taking on mural projects and her work can be seen in airbnb properties and breweries around Wilmington.

She was recently published as a featured artist for Wilmington Business Journal's Book on Business. Her collection of new mixed media coastal works are set to be featured in various galleries and restaurants on the East Coast.

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"My inspiration usually comes from my muddy childhood of living on the marsh and surfing on Wrightsville Beach. I love creating these large coastal pieces and allowing my intuition to guide me. I work with mixed media, oils and acrylics. Each pieces reflects a lot of personal meaning. Drips and large splashes are the perfect way to counter all of the fine tuned details that I put into my portrait work and commissions.   

 It is always a pleasure working with business owners and designers to create paintings that compliment the aesthetic of a room. I am inspired by design elements and modern colors, but I never lose sight of my own creative expression."