Stephanie Gonzalez

Born in Monterrey N.L. Mexico, Gonzalez grew up with her grandparents in Reynosa, Mexico and picked up painting from her grandfather. She began painting at the age of 14 to escape a hostile environment and later started developing new techniques and experimenting with different mediums. As a child, Gonzalez moved from Georgia to Mexico, then to the Rio Grande Valley in Texas. In high school, she experienced constant bullying and judgement for her sexuality, and at home, she faced an unaccepting family. She became severely depressed, and and at her lowest point, attempted suicide. The dark colors, aggressive mark-making, and distressed materials she uses in her artwork indirectly reflect this pain. “Even though my upbringing wasn’t the easiest, it really shaped the way I create.” Gonzalez is constantly creating art to draw attention to societal issues, stir powerful emotions within her audience, and express herself as a proud lesbian and Mexican woman. Her creations reflect domestic abuse, the mistreatment of women and people of color, queer struggles, and other causes she holds dear to her heart. “Art has basically been a savior for me in so many ways,” Gonzalez says. “I want to be that voice for someone who might not have one.”