NEIGHBORHOOD WALKS

APRIL 2023
Artwork by Stephanie Vecellio / @stepinhoney

ON VIEW NEXT TO THE GROVE ON ACADEMIC WAY

Have you ever taken a walk around your neighborhood and thought, wow, that house is really cool?

“Neighborhood Walks” is a collection of observational drawings inspired by connecting with the small moments of everyday life. Drawing these moments seeks to find the heart, joy, and nostalgia in the places and objects we look at every day.

What if on your next walk, you really slowed down and looked at the details you most often pass by?

About the artist

Stephanie Vecellio is a local illustrator and designer who has lived in Somerville since 2014. She grew up in Connecticut and earned her BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. Her freelance projects range from packaging and textile design to branding and children’s book illustration. She recently had her first solo exhibition at the Arts at the Armory in Somerville.

Taking inspiration from wherever she might happen to be, Stephanie’s work is drawn directly from life, most often using marker and pen. She aims to capture shadow and light in playful saturation, bringing unexpected color to everyday scenes.

When she’s not making art, Stephanie spends her time playing with and co-organizing Boston Belles Pinball (a women’s competitive pinball league), hanging out with her adorably scruffy rescue dog Zeppie, and sketching with the Urban Sketchers Boston group.

Artist Q&A

Where is your favorite public art piece in the area?

It’s a sentimental one: the street I used to live on a few years ago is home to a community Neighborway mural, an initiative to slow down street traffic through art. Artists and residents from my neighborhood planned the theme and design, and we painted it together. It’s worn a bit from years of foot traffic, but you can still see it and walk the labyrinth on Hudson St. in Somerville.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned about doing public art projects around Boston?

Probably that not everyone will like what you do, and that’s ok! The positive responses direct you to the people and projects who are meant for you.

What is your dream mural project?

I spend a lot of time in arcades, and it would be a dream to make a mural for one of the locations I hang out in!

Who is your favorite Boston-area artist to follow?

I’ve met so many amazing artists through my networks, friendships, and selling at artisan markets. I’d say come on down to Artbeat in July, or the Somerville Flea in Aug-Oct, and you’ll be surrounded by all my favorite local artists.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I’m most inspired by closely observing the things around me and finding those small moments of visual magic. Drawing my surroundings helps me fully experience a time and a place. Anytime I travel to a new location, I get inspired by the different scenery and architecture, so I try to look at my own city through those eyes. Illustration is all about storytelling, so I then try to use that inspiration and incorporate my life drawing practice into my more narrative projects.

What have you learned about your creative practice in recent years?

One big thing is that you never really know what medium you might be drawn to, or what subject matter, until you try a bunch of ways of working and see what sticks. I’ve been making art since I was a kid, and have been a professional illustrator for 10 years, but only started drawing this way a couple of years ago, because it felt fun to me, and came naturally, and really resonated with people, so I kept on going! But who knows how it might change in years to come, and part of that learning is allowing your creative practice to change as you grow too.