Niki Stefanelli

I am interested in capturing the world around me and giving viewers insight into the essence of place through my work. I am drawn to human interactions and images that depict our common humanity. I see the camera as a tool, much the same was I use paint or pens. I am attracted to color relationships, patterns, and movement in my artwork. I try to go beyond the obvious and notice the contradictions, humor and commonality of human experiences. I have always enjoyed travel and learning about the places I visit. I am interested in recording the way people live around the world and giving my audience a glimpse of our 21st Century world.

Niki Stefanelli is a San Francisco Bay Area artist, photographer and art educator. Her artwork explores life experience across cultural boundaries. Her photography focuses on daily life in the places she encounters. Her fine art incorporates layers of cultural symbolism through photography, collage, paint and printmaking that capture the essence of a particular place. Stefanelli’s artwork has been informed by her extensive world-wide travel and by her time spent in Ghana, West Africa as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Niki Stefanelli received her BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, and her work has been exhibited both locally and internationally. She has taught in a variety of settings including independent schools, International School Moshi in Tanzania, community centers and community colleges. She was chosen to participate in TICA (Teacher Institute in Contemporary Art) at The Chicago Art Institute in 2005 and The Anderson Ranch Art Educator Institute in 2011. She has incorporated her love of travel into her teaching career by leading international service projects for students to Cuba, Ghana, South Africa, Tanzania, China, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. She currently teaches high school art at The Athenian School in Danville, California.