Bio
Stephanie Postles is an accomplished contemporary New Zealand painter whose practice investigates the emotional and psychological resonance of interior and domestic spaces. Working from her studio in Little River on the Banks Peninsula, Postles creates works rooted in direct observation, capturing the nuanced complexities of environments tied to identity, place, and memory.
Influenced by the expressive freedom and colour theory of Post-Impressionism, her work is distinguished by a vibrant palette and intricate, immersive patterning. Working across varying scales, her large-scale canvases deconstruct the spatial and emotional boundaries of the domestic landscapes she depicts.
Following a series of successful solo exhibitions across New Zealand, Postles is expanding her practice internationally through a nomadic phase—including a funded six-week artist residency in Portugal, a self-directed painting residency in coastal Spain, and an extended period of international blue water sailing. These global experiences continue to inform her evolving visual language and studio outputs.
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Whitecliffe College of Fine Arts and a Postgraduate Diploma in Painting from the Ilam School of Fine Arts. Recognised as a finalist in premier national accolades including the Molly Morpeth Canaday Painting Awards and the New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Awards, her work is held in private collections throughout the country.
Solo Exhibitions
- 2026: what these walls remember, City Art Depot, Christchurch, New Zealand
- 2024: walking into windows, Red Bird Gallery, Timaru, New Zealand
- 2024: to tell a story, The Refinery Artspace, Nelson, New Zealand
- 2022: to paint is to remember, The Grey Place, Auckland, New Zealand
- 2022: a quiet moment, Franklin Arts Centre, Auckland, New Zealand
Group Exhibitions
- 2025: Graduation Exhibition, Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch, New Zealand
- 2025: Group Exhibition, Riccarton Library Gallery, Christchurch, New Zealand
- 2022: Bread and Butter, The Grey Place, Auckland, New Zealand
Residencies & Professional Development
- October 2026 (upcoming): Artist-in-Residence, six-week residency, Portugal
- November 2026 (upcoming): Independent Artist-in-Residence, self-directed studio practice, coastal Spain
- 2026–2027 (upcoming): Conceptual research and creative exploration, international blue water sailing transit
Education
- 2025: Postgraduate Diploma in Fine Arts (Painting), Ilam School of Fine Arts, Christchurch, New Zealand
- 2015: Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), Whitecliffe College of Fine Arts, Auckland, New Zealand
Awards & Selections
- 2023: Award Recipient (Most Promising Up and Coming Artist), Alpine Energy Annual Art Awards
- 2021: Finalist, Molly Morpeth Canaday Award (Painting)
- 2020: Finalist, WSA (Waikato Society of Arts) New Zealand Painting and Printmaking Awards
Bibliography & Press
- 2026: The Press, feature by Warren Feeney, “10 Exhibitions to Look Out for in May”
- 2024: Timaru Herald, feature, “Inaugural South Canterbury exhibition moment of joy for artist”
- 2023: Art New Zealand, review of to paint is to remember (The Grey Place, Auckland), Issue 185, p. 43