About Skye Stephenson

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Art has always been part of me. In high school and for a few years after, I loved drawing and painting — mostly figurative and portrait work. Then life got busy, and I had to put my art aside.

Everything changed when my daughter was three months old. She developed a serious eye condition that made her extremely sensitive to light, and we spent months indoors, often in complete darkness. As a single parent, those times were tough and lonely, but they also brought me back to art. At night, while she slept, I began drawing again. My sister, Denise Duffy, gifted me an oil paint set, and that simple act reignited my creative journey.

Art became my therapy and a way to bond with my daughter. Even when it was too dark to see, we painted together — I’d describe the colors to her, and we created memories that still live in my work today. She taught me to worry less about colouring inside the lines and more about how the artwork makes you feel. A bright spot of yellow belonged because it felt right, not because it matched the reference photo. That lesson continues to shape the way I create — trusting intuition, embracing imperfection, and letting emotion guide the work.

Making my own pigments has since become a special part of my process, adding a personal touch to each piece. Now, art is my mindful practice. It’s not my primary income, but something I do to stay grounded and connected. Alongside my volunteer work supporting wildlife care, I dedicate sales from my artwork to the Port Stephens Koala Hospital.

My practice is about balance — sharing the stories of koalas, supporting the hospital’s work, and finding calm through creativity.

Thank you for being here and for supporting both my art and the koalas who inspire it.