Unni Stevens, Painter
Growing up in Norway, Unni had the opportunity to travel to many beautiful places, experiences that continue to inspire her art. Her paintings reflect the shapes, colors, and cultures encountered on her journeys, as well as the mystery and changing rhythms of the natural world. Drawn to uplifting subjects, both cultural and natural, Unni also paints things at risk of disappearing, preserving their beauty and presence on canvas for generations to come.
Unni spent a year working and studying art in Japan, where she was deeply inspired by the beauty of sumi-e ink painting, ceramics, and traditional woodblock prints. After moving to California, she attended the Laguna Beach School of Art, studying drawing, sculpture, and painting. During this time, she also co-owned the Artist Alley Gallery.
Oil painting is Unni’s preferred medium. She enjoys working with impasto and palette knives, building texture and dimension while layering transparent washes to create depth and rich, luminous color. She also loves plein air painting, which allows her to connect directly with her surroundings and capture the vibrant colors and atmosphere of nature.
Currently, Unni is creating a series of oil paintings on wood slabs, using the natural grain of the wood as an integral part of each composition. Inspired by the landscapes, birds, and wildlife of Placer County, these works celebrate the distinctive beauty of the region and the relationship between art and the natural materials on which it is created.
An experienced art instructor, Unni teaches Sip and Paint classes and painting workshops throughout Placer County, where she lives and works.
Unni’s work is currently exhibited at Persimmon Art Gallery in Auburn and the Art League of Lincoln. Her work has also appeared at High Hand Gallery in Loomis, the Placer Land Trust’s Bruin Ranch exhibition, the Lincoln Arts Open Juried Show, the PAL Membership Show, Latitudes restaurant, General Gomez Gallery, North Tahoe Arts Gallery, Art Stock, and numerous other venues in California, Norway, and Japan. Her recent solo exhibitions include shows at Awful Annie’s in Auburn and Lincoln City Hall in Lincoln, California.
Her work has also extended beyond the gallery, with paintings featured on wine labels for the Placer Land Trust’s Bruin Ranch, as well as for Ciotti and Di Stefano.
Through her art, Unni celebrates the beauty of the natural world, the richness of cultural traditions, and the importance of preserving the places and subjects that inspire us.