Stephanie Bolton: Creative Art and Dance

“I was born eating and breathing paint—it’s in my blood!” says Stephanie Bolton, a third-generation artist who grew up on Hawai‘i Island. Both her maternal and paternal grandmothers were artists, her father is a sculptor and architect and her mother owned and operated several professional art supply stores. She says she was surrounded by art and artists her whole life.

Bolton has designed embroidery for garments and linens, illustrated books for both adults and children, designed commercial labels, and advertising. However, her present focus is custom artwork for individuals, specializing in portraits and mixed media artwork.

Stephanie attended Westmont College in Santa Barbara, Calif. Her schooling also included studying figure painting, Renaissance art history and printmaking at San Lodovico Convento in Orvieto, Italy.

Her art appears in Kohala Coast Fine Art gallery, Divine Goods Gallery and Boutique, and Holualoa Gallery.

A multi-talented creative individual, Stephanie is also a bellydance instructor. “I really love how learning this dance has taught me how to appreciate music and design on such an intricate level. There is no end to the extent in which a person can explore their own creativity in this dance that celebrates the individual,” she says.

She has recently shared the stage in performances on O‘ahu with bellydance superstars Ansuya and Zoe Jakes, as well as local legends Willow Chang, Shadiya, and Shakti Dance Movement’s Kalae Kaina and Natalie Phoenix.

“My favorite part about teaching belly dance is when you see that person who was dragged to class by a friend, seemingly against their will, open up and discover their rhythm and realize just how beautiful they are right at that moment,” she says. “It is an ageless dance that never ceases to enrich the lives it touches with confidence.”

You can see Stephanie and many of her students and friends showing off their dancing skills at the monthly Open Stage events held at The Dancing Tree Studio of Dance and Movement just outside Kainaliu, next to Nasturium Cafe. This is also the studio where you can find Stephanie’s mixed level classes.

Contact Stephanie Bolton