Artist Statement and Bio

Artist Statement:

Dance has always played a love and hate relationship in my life. Starting at age 4, I began to attend a pre-professional dance program for ballet. I loved the way that ballet made me feel, and how I felt free when dancing. However, after entering adolescence, our dance school would body-shame dancers by only picking certain girls with a certain height or weight to star in more important roles for performances. I began to realize that most of the girls who were picked were white, skinny, tall, with no visible disabilities. Enrolling in a performing arts high school showed me that dance was inclusive of all ages, shapes, sizes, color, and physical abilities. I incorporate this idea into my piece, with a stylized and abstract depiction of dancer’s bodies- because dance is such an abstract concept of itself. It is a depiction of my teenage realization that dance can, and is for everyone- regardless of your body height, race, ability, or weight.

Bio:

Lilly Stene was born and raised in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She grew up around art, as both her parents are photographers and graphic designers. She is majoring in psychology and minoring in studio art at Chapman University. She hopes to open her own private practice one day that incorporates therapy with art.