Ileya Stewart

Throughout my life, nature has always been both an inspiration and sanctuary. Initially I pursued a natural science education, but I soon realized that it’s structure and dogmatism didn’t suit my temperament. I found the depth of experience that I was

seeking through creative expression.

After ten years of living in the Bay Area, and exploring many art mediums, I received an MFA from Mills College in 1987. I moved to Mendocino County in 1990 to restore my

roots in nature. I began photographing flowers and my surroundings up close, eventually painting and sculpting florals on pottery for a satisfying livelihood of many years.

This recent body of work—began with a series of pastel drawings that I refer to as “floral mandalas” which took me in a new direction—to express the unseen forces of the

natural world. The color, beauty, and composition, represented by the petaled community continues to inspire and captivate me as I look for the “power within the flower.”