WITH A DEGREE IN SOCIOLOGY AND A PREVIOUS CAREER IN “SERVICE BASED, CLIENTFACING ENVIRONMENTS,” THIS PASSIONATE MULTI-HYPHENATE IS ON A CREATIVE MISSION

BY LAURA D.C. KOLNOSKI

Stephanie Sommerlad Bello has lived throughout her native New Jersey, from her Hunterdon County origins to Hudson County, Monmouth County, and now Ocean County. In between, she was a Colorado resident. Clearly, her road to the artist’s life was a circuitous one.

Not only is Bello a self-taught contemporary abstract polymedia artist, she’s a children’s book author, entrepreneur, licensed massage therapist, reiki practitioner, and yoga instructor.

Despite her early artistic inclinations, Bello’s conservative upbringing saw her heading not to art school after graduating Hunterdon High, but to community college before obtaining her B.S. in Sociology at Rutgers University.

“I went the corporate route, working in restaurant operations for 25 years, front and back of house, and then management, moving into the corporate and education sectors,” she related. In Colorado, she managed catering at the University of Denver.

Upon returning to New Jersey, Bello became guest services manager at the Rutgers University Inn & Conference Center in New Brunswick. She was always all about creating memorable experiences, which she noted, “transfer over to wellness.”

“My career has taken a journey through private and corporate dining, event planning, and now the wellness sector, so I know quite a bit about making someone feel comfortable,” Bello said. Bello’s expressive artistic style and bold color palette choices have gained recognition and accolades, particularly for her use of alcohol ink and acrylic paint in a process that produces mesmerizing, vibrant works.

Alcohol ink, Bello explained, is a wet medium applied to substrate (an underlying substance) or non-porous paper. Ink pours across the surface via hands, brushes, or for an otherworldly effect, blowing through a straw to disperse paint.

“I was introduced to alcohol ink during COVID,” Bello said. “It creates a blended effect to which you can add metallics. It’s a happy medium; very flowy, not linear. The pigments are very rich, and it dries quickly. The ink has a mind of its own. You can add more textures with acrylics, which traditionally go on canvas.
Every piece is one-of-a-kind.”

The results have brought the prolific artist new clients and recognition, most recently at the Guild of Creative Art’s annual Juried Show in Shrewsbury. Bello has exhibited in New York and throughout New Jersey for two decades.

A juried member of New Jersey art organizations, Bello recently became curator for art exhibits at the Garden State Distillery in Toms River, and serves as council member and marketing liaison for Locals Art Space in Asbury Park.

“I like to work in different media because it’s not limiting,” said Bello, whose S2B Studio is in her home. “I am drawn to color, movement, and texture. I have always been a tactile person and am passionate about creating beautiful things and experiences inspired by my own journey to wellness.”

Bello’s childhood was one of putting on plays, taking art classes, visiting museums, and meeting local artists courtesy of her parents. A jewelry-making apprenticeship after high school began a lifetime of immersion in workshops and classes, learning macramé, printmaking, and more.

While driving to and from her Rutgers job, she would pass a sign for a massage school, recalling her grandmother’s massages as a child. It was her 40th birthday, and she was seeking a new “vision quest.”

“I thought, this sign is a sign,” she laughed. She retired early, and with her family’s support, “It started rolling and became an avalanche.” The yoga instructor and massage therapist specializes in Swedish, sports, pre-natal/perinatal, and geriatric massage, neuromuscular therapy, foot reflexology, aromatherapy, reiki, and more.

Bello always continued painting, seeking out art galleries, shows, and exhibits. She developed a website and portfolio, creating a brand that would incorporate all her endeavors. Simultaneously, she self-published a children’s book Trinkett and the Legend of the Locket (Amazon, Target, Bello’s website), “A heartwarming tale about unleashing the energy within” featuring a mouse. She hopes to make it a trilogy.

“I’ve always been a voracious reader and traveled a lot with my grandma,” said Bello. “We didn’t have a lot of money, but my parents would always spring for a book. We had the Bookmobile, and I went to the library.”

She shared her “bedtime story” with her husband Nicholas and they fleshed it out together.

As the holidays approach, Bello is creating commissioned pieces as well as curated gifts for friends and family. Lucky recipients on her list are getting greeting cards made with alcohol ink. Her website has a varied store. In spring, Bello will exhibit at the Atlantic Highlands Arts Council.

“My vision is creativity through art, words, and actions,” she concluded. “My pieces are infused with movement and my work may be viewed as a visual soundtrack of my internal landscape.”

Stephanie Sommerlad Bello
stephaniesommerladbello.com