1. Describe what type of art you work with/create.

"I paint mostly expressionist and abstract works, some textural with acrylic paint and mixed media.Expressionism, to me, is the visual interpretation of my emotions, it's the result of movement, gestures, the interplay of color and the communication of my inner vision, it's what flows from me to the canvas when I open myself and let go.
"I also paint still life paintings in oil, in addition to dog portraits and watercolor landscapes."

2. How long have you been creating art?

"I have been painting as long as I can remember, taking private art lessons since childhood."

3. What began as your inspiration? What serves as your inspiration currently?

"Both my parents have been an unwavering support for me. My father, who also has an artistic side, inspired me from my earliest days. At the age of 3 we began taking art classes together and a few years later I was able to participate in art classes at Cardinal Stritch college. While in a magnet high school for the arts, I also took some classes at the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. I was inspired and encouraged by many of my high school teachers to seek admittance at one of the prestigious schools of art, the Kansas City Art Institute being my first choice.
What you see today on the canvas is my interpretation of the emotions that I feel as a result of the experiences I've had traveling, observing architecture and nature, reflecting on events, studying surfaces, light play and the texture of everyday objects, and of course, the feelings that evolve from and define the relationships with others in my life."

4. What other artists inspire/motivate/challenge you?

"Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Richard Diebenkorn & Sabrina Ward Harrison. Joyce Winter, my earliest teacher and mentor, has been a great inspiration. Locally, Philomene Bennett and the artists at her studio and in her classes help motivate and challenge me."

5. What school did you attend?

"I graduated from the Kansas City Art Institute, but I really began my education in art with Joyce Winter in Wisconsin as early as I could hold a paintbrush. Every Saturday for over 13 years I spent at least 6 hours in her studio, working with paint, clay, charcoal - virtually every tool and medium imaginable. She taught me that art was everywhere, in every aspect of life. In was an incredible environment, with horses and dandelion gardens and it truly shaped the way I see and experience the world. I have since painted as an Artist-in-residence at Philomene Bennett's studio - a wonderfully energizing and supportive environment."

6. Is creating art your current full-time career; if not, what other job do you hold?

"It was a childhood dream of mine to work for Hallmark - I literally would create my own greeting cards with crayons and construction paper with my own "Noellemark" logo on the back, claiming that one day I'd be doing it for real. That dream came true as I've been designing greeting cards for Hallmark for nearly 8 years. My family, being my biggest fans, now get a kick out of receiving cards with the real Hallmark logo on the back. In addition, I paint for galleries, exhibitions and commissions at home during the majority of my free time. Especially after an inspirational experience, such as my recent mission trip to Romania, the urge to paint is compelling."

7. How many exhibitions have you been involved in?

"I started exhibiting back in the mid-nineties, and have had well over 30 exhibits in the Kansas City area, Milwaukee, and Hot Springs. I have been involved in many exhibitions with the Kansas City Artists Coalition, the Apex Art Space, The Leopold Gallery, Room 39, Aesthetica, Arts Incubator, Union Station, and Scott Fitness."

8. Is your art currently on display in the Kansas City area?

"Yes, my work is currently on display at the Leopold Gallery in Brookside, Scott Fitness, and Room 39 in addition to several local office buildings."

9. Tell me some about the Romania experience. How did it come about? When? How many artists? What was your goal/mission?

"The Romania experience was transformative for me, from the standpoint of gaining a genuine grasp of the power of art to heal, communicate, and transcend language with emotion. Greg and I had met at Philomene Bennett's studio, and became fast friends. We soon discovered that we both had Croatian backgrounds and wanted to travel abroad. We talked with Philomene about doing artist mission trips, with which she is very experienced. It turns out they had openings for 2 artists to join the Kansas City Medical Missions Foundation's trip to Botosani, Romania this past September. Botosani is a small village in the northeastern region of the country where there is much need for surgeries of cleft palates, burn victims, and abnormalities. Greg and I were sent to a children's hospital to do art therapy and paint murals. We discovered that the process of creation, the simple act of painting and drawing, helped the Romanian children escape, if only briefly, their hardships and the reason why they were at the hospital. We formed such deep and immediate, such heart-wrenching bonds with them as they connected to their emotion - and learned to express those emotions with the tools and supplies and simple lessons in drawing and painting that we provided. They were the givers of the gifts, allowing us to see their faces change from stoic and untrusting to open and glowing - opening their hearts to us and overwhelming us with their deep reservoirs of joy and affection. We communicated, literally touched souls, through our art, and it was a very magical experience - I have to say it was a profound and fundamental demonstration, to me, of the purpose of art - a truly universal language. We left them with many art supplies in hopes that they continue their creative process, and I received, in return, an appreciation for the privilege and gift of being able to live a life infused by art."

10. How do you feel the Kansas City market is for young artists such as yourself?

"Kansas City is a hidden treasure of art and truly a great place to be in the art world today. The incredible energy fueled by the Art Institute is manifesting itself throughout the city, particularly in The Crossroads, and one only has to attend a First Friday event to get a sense of the sensational momentum that's building in the region. There are so many opportunities for artists of all levels to show and be seen, that I can't imagine a better place to be for young artists - it's an exciting time, a thrilling process, and I feel fortunate to be a part of it."

11. If someone wanted to view your work/purchase your work, where would they go (website, gallery, etc.)?

"My paintings can be found at the Leopold Gallery in Brookside, Room 39, and Scott Fitness, and I'm always pursuing new venues and opportunities to show. I keep updated information with addresses on my website at www. NoelleStoffel.com, and I can be reached via e-mail at Noelle@noellestoffel.com"

 

"The Artists Coalition also is featuring local artist Noelle Stoffel, whose work is permeated with the notion of self-discovery.

Her vividly chromatic acrylic canvases contain expressive brushwork and unusual surface treatments. The 1995 Kansas City Art Institute graduate uses palette knives, old credit cards and various brushes to achieve these different textures.

The painting titled "Atlantis" illustrates a murky, cerulean underwater world, with ever so subtle depictions of architectural features such as doorways and steps that suggest remnants of the ancient Greeks' lost civilization. This element of discovery, or perhaps self-discovery, epitomizes Stoffel's work. She notes that we rarely take the time to truly observe something and realize what it has to offer. For her, these paintings evolved from her own discoveries in life."

- by art critic Alice Thorston of the Kansas City Star.