When the film student Stella Winter rediscovered a childhood love of painting during lockdown, she had no idea that sharing her work on social media would mark the beginning of an unconventional journey into the art world. The love-child of hyperrealism and internet culture, her paintings spoke to an online generation of young people stuck inside, and in 2022, she ascended into viral stardom.
Now the subject of TikTok and Instagram fame, as well as several solo exhibitions, Winter has continued to develop her hallmark nods to the digital world and playful use of perspective, with time spent exhibiting and working in Berlin strengthening her flair as an artist. We catch up with her ahead of her upcoming showcase at Galerie Russi Klenner in Berlin, opening September 12, to discuss her creative process, the cinematic influences behind her work, shifts within the art world, and her thoughts on stepping away from the online world.
To begin with, I was wondering what a typical day in the studio looks like for you?
A typical day in the studio starts around 10 am these days. I usually go straight into continuing the painting I’ve been working on. The studio I paint in is located at my university because I am still an art student. I share the space with my best friend, so we get to take breaks together, which is fun since it’s been pretty hectic with me working on a whole new show! If I start at ten, I usually finish around eight or nine, having listened to music and podcasts all day, cleaned my brushes, and then I get to do it all over again the next day.
Some of your work touches on technology and the internet. I’m thinking of the painting you posted in January featuring a split screen with Subway Surfers. At a time when many people are trying to unplug, how do you feel about technology and social media and the way we use them?
I really enjoy social media and the way you have platforms that can be used in so many different ways and for so many different niches and interests. However, I do think it’s important to unplug every once in a while, and to remember that not everything you see is real. The Subway Surfers painting plays with the idea of not being present due to attention span loss, which my generation is kind of known for.
Combining meme-able stuff into oil paintings and spending hundreds of hours painting something that would not have made any sense just a few years ago is why I both love and hate the internet. It could push us away from thinking critically on our own, but using it as inspiration—as someone who grew up with the internet—and putting it into a craft that has existed forever does feel right to me.
Combining meme-able stuff into oil paintings and spending hundreds of hours painting something that would not have made any sense just a few years ago is why I both love and hate the internet. It could push us away from thinking critically on our own, but using it as inspiration—as someone who grew up with the internet—and putting it into a craft that has existed forever does feel right to me.
“Combining meme-able stuff into oil paintings and spending hundreds of hours painting something that would not have made any sense just a few years ago is why I both love and hate the internet.”
I believe you’re based in Mainz, Germany. What’s the art and culture scene like there, and what’s your favourite thing about the city?
Yes, I’m from Mainz. What I love most about the city is that I have zero distractions when it comes to my work, because nothing ever happens here lmao.
Where did you learn to paint, and what does your creative process look like, from inspiration through to execution?
I don’t think I ever really learned how to paint, and if I did, I’m still learning. I was fortunate that once I really started to paint during Covid, I never had to stop. Because of that, I had the chance to make faster progress than if I’d only been able to paint once a week, for example. Painting is a craft that requires training.
When it comes to developing an idea for a painting, I have a few different approaches. I either have an image in my head, knowing exactly what I want the painting to look like, or I go through my camera roll to see what hidden gems I can find. Both approaches require me to take photographs first though, because I work from photos that I most likely took with my iPhone or digital camera. Once I decide on the size of the canvas—I can usually tell from the photo—I start building that.
When it comes to developing an idea for a painting, I have a few different approaches. I either have an image in my head, knowing exactly what I want the painting to look like, or I go through my camera roll to see what hidden gems I can find. Both approaches require me to take photographs first though, because I work from photos that I most likely took with my iPhone or digital camera. Once I decide on the size of the canvas—I can usually tell from the photo—I start building that.
You’re currently working towards a new solo exhibition. Can you share any details about it? And how are you finding the process of preparing for your own show?
Yes, I am! I’m so excited to share that I’ll be doing a solo exhibition in Berlin with Gallery Russi Klenner. This will be my first solo show in Berlin. We’ll be showing ten new artworks—I hope it’ll be ten, I’m still working on it—and the opening night is the 12th of September. The exhibition will run until the 25th of October.
I love preparing for shows because I really enjoy working in series and creating cohesive imagery. Russi called me in February offering me the September show and I couldn’t believe it. I’m beyond excited, but also nervous to finally show what I’ve been working on for the past seven months. The pressure is definitely on, but I’m so lucky to ever even experience that kind of pressure.
Your route into the art world has been slightly unconventional, with your paintings gaining traction online during lockdown. Is there a community of artists who’ve found success through social media, or do you find yourself more involved with the traditional art scene?
Everything I get to do now I owe to social media. I believe the art world is in a transitional phase in which older generations are realising that social media is a part of art. Therefore, I believe that both can coexist—and I like playing with the fact that some audiences still separate the two. A lot of my paintings are direct references to internet culture, and getting to see those works in a more traditional art world setting is what I mean when I say both can exist simultaneously, which is so fun!
You recently painted the cover of Forever Magazine, a new literary publication based in the US. Do you read it yourself, or are there any other magazines or publications you’re enjoying at the moment, or always find yourself returning to?
I was so thrilled when Forever Mag reached out to use my painting as their cover art, because I was already familiar with their work. I love keeping up with print media. When I lived in Berlin I shared a studio with the guys from Chrome Magazine, and since then I’ve had so much more appreciation for it. Some of my favourites are Sleek, Paper Mag, Nylon, Fräulein Magazine, and Kunstforum International.
Was there a particular artist or artwork that first made you fall in love with painting, or was it something else entirely?
Not really. To be honest, I never had a real connection with art until I started painting myself. The first time I went to an art exhibition was after Covid, so only a few years ago. I started painting out of boredom and was looking for a creative outlet, like so many of us during that time. Growing up, I used to dance, which I think filled my creative hole during my teenage years, and I always admired film. I knew I could sketch and I used to paint as a child, but it was never serious—it was just something I somewhat knew how to do.
During Covid, I wanted to learn how to paint landscapes with oil paint. I don’t remember why that was the goal, but the pandemic was the time for exploring hobbies, I suppose. So every now and then I went onto YouTube and looked up Paint with Kevin. After a while I was able to do it, and then I started my Instagram and figured out my own style. On that note, thank you Kevin.
During Covid, I wanted to learn how to paint landscapes with oil paint. I don’t remember why that was the goal, but the pandemic was the time for exploring hobbies, I suppose. So every now and then I went onto YouTube and looked up Paint with Kevin. After a while I was able to do it, and then I started my Instagram and figured out my own style. On that note, thank you Kevin.
“Everything is super-fast in this generation—trends, opinions, aesthetics. I think painting really helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed, because I need to focus and develop one idea at a time.”
Before Covid you studied American Studies and Film Studies. Are there any films or directors that have shaped your style?
Love that question! I often find myself looking for inspiration in different art forms beyond painting, especially film and music. One of my favourite films—which you might be able to tell—is Sofia Coppola’s The Bling Ring, which I had to include in my top four on Letterboxd, alongside Waves (Trey Edward Shults), Bones and All (Luca Guadagnino), and A Cinderella Story (Mark Rosman).
Sometimes I like to imagine myself more as a director than a painter, especially when I paint portraits. I love including my friends and making sure the way I portray them matches their personal vibe. I’d love for my paintings to be perceived as scenes, where recurring items or people suggest that everything is happening in the same universe, night, apartment, or even the same room. When I first started painting still lifes, I included Tyler Durden from Fight Club in one of them. More recently I’ve looked into Sean Baker’s work, and he really inspires me to maybe one day get into video works myself.
Sometimes I like to imagine myself more as a director than a painter, especially when I paint portraits. I love including my friends and making sure the way I portray them matches their personal vibe. I’d love for my paintings to be perceived as scenes, where recurring items or people suggest that everything is happening in the same universe, night, apartment, or even the same room. When I first started painting still lifes, I included Tyler Durden from Fight Club in one of them. More recently I’ve looked into Sean Baker’s work, and he really inspires me to maybe one day get into video works myself.
Your work and career path feel distinctly Gen Z. Has that been a conscious decision, and what aspects of Gen Z resonate with you most?
When we’re talking about the beginning—Covid and creating an Instagram for my art—there was absolutely no conscious decision running through my mind that would have led me to this career path. I was posting sketches and paintings on my regular Instagram story, and one day decided I wanted a separate place for them.
What I like most about Gen Z is not only the humour but also how we’re becoming more and more educated about important subjects. Everything is super-fast in this generation—trends, opinions, aesthetics. I think painting really helps me avoid feeling overwhelmed, because I need to focus and develop one idea at a time.
