Stefanie Hunsaker: Mixed-Media Portraits, Self-Love, and the Long Game of Style

Host Wendy Solganik introduces season six, episode five ofthe Show Up or Shut Up podcast featuring Stefanie Hunsaker, a mixed media collage artist in northeastern Washington whose vibrant, layered portraits combine acrylic paint, fabric, scrapbook paper, and occasional embroidery and beading to explore self-love, trust, and empowerment. Stefanie shares herupbringing in eastern Washington near the Hanford Nuclear Reservation, early creative influences including stained glass and sewing, and shift from high-school photography and marketing interests to a University of Washington visual arts degree spanning photography, printmaking, sculpture, ceramics, and jewelry. After years running a natural-light portrait photography business, she phased it out as her kids grew and, after moving to Spokane, found a new creative outlet through online classes that led her into portrait painting and collage. She discusses developing her portrait style over seven years, sellingoriginals and some prints via her website, challenges with marketing, preferred surfaces (mostly canvas), local art markets, and interest in more gallery opportunities. 00:00 Podcast Intro and Guest03:19 Growing Up in Washington05:02 Hanford and Stained Glass12:01 Early Crafty Roots15:40 School to Art Degree25:45 Motherhood and Scrapbooking30:16 Photography Business Era37:54 From Photos to Fine Art41:21 Starting Art Instagram42:00 Curating the Feed43:25 Finding Her Genre46:30 Seven Years of Style48:21 Chuck Close Advice51:00 ADHD and Hyperfocus52:53 Selling Originals and Prints57:25 Materials and Embroidery59:46 Kids and Art School01:04:26 Sewing Machine Renaissance01:07:07 Galleries and Local Shows01:09:38 Art Markets and Booth Setup01:11:20 Wrap Up and Thanks