Stephanie Osser ( She, Her, Hers )

Artist Statement

At a time when the world’s news is filled with hardships, fearful concerns, negativity, and divisiveness, I have committed my art to the uplifting of the human spirit and as an emanation of optimism. It is my hope that each work of art I create will take its beholders into a world of light— whether it is through my lithophanes, the use of bright and colorful glazes against luminescent backgrounds, or explorations of the properties of light and shadow, and my music and children inspired inspirations.

Bio

Stephanie Osser works from her studio in Needham, MA.   She became a book/editorial illustrator, and then  illustrator in porcelain, stoneware, juggling both. She began her career while in graduate school for ceramics at the University of Montana, studying with Rudy Autio, and working for the Anthropology and Wildlife Departments illustrating research papers. The New England Aquarium, Boston, hired her as their staff illustrator for exhibits. Then there were collaborations with editors, art directors and designers for non-fiction children’s books, textbooks, and adult trade books with major publishers. Cookbooks by famous chefs, gardening books and magazines, and editorial food illustrations for the New York Times, the N.Y.Daily News, and the Boston Globe built her illustration portfolio.With her specialty in food still-life and step-by-step instructional illustrations showing hands making food recipes, she was hired to illustrate puppets and crafts. This included a fun stint working directly with the artists and crafts people who created those charming Muppet characters, at Jim Henson Associates. Osser then brought her two-dimensional illustration to 3D ceramics, working in porcelain and stoneware, reusing many of her copyrighted book illustrations. Architectural ceramics, in-glaze transfer-ware decals, and lithophanes (back-lit translucent porcelain imagery), have become ceramics specialties. For Babson, Olin and Wellesley College students, she managed their ceramics studio and gave workshops. Awarded a Mellon Grant, she and the students made ceramic murals celebrating green energy and sustainability on their campuses. More knowledge/inspiration was obtained at ceramic residencies: Guldagergaard, Denmark; Kecskemét, Hungary; Medalta, Canada, Watershed in Maine, and the Ceramics Program Office for the Arts at Harvard University.  She has works included in permanent collections at The Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Museum, AMOCA Museum; The International Museum of Dinnerware Design, the Blair Museum of Lithophanes, the Red Star Line Museum, Antwerp, Belgium, and the Needham, Massachusetts  Historical Society.  Her ceramics have been included in a long list of juried ceramic exhibitions. Working in the field of education, and teaching her techniques in workshops with children and adults give her joy.  Music, and singing in a classical chorale and a swing band, her other passionate pursuits, inspire her work.  In 2022-23, she started teaching workshops for the fun youngest children in  K – 4th grade.  The classes are called “Clay Tunes,” introducing great Classical Music & Jazz, featuring solo musical instruments, to inspire the children while they create.  In 2023, she also received a Massachusetts Arts Council Grant to teach her “Recycled Collage Making Characters”, inspired by the great illustrator Eric Carle, to young children in libraries.