The document details the life and artistic journey of an individual born in 1953, who pursued a career in art education after various life events delayed their initial goals. With a background in printmaking and an MFA from East Carolina University, the artist is now actively engaged in both teaching and creating art, emphasizing the importance of creativity in daily life. Their work explores personal and universal themes through various mediums, particularly watercolor and acrylics, while also highlighting their extensive teaching experience and involvement in the art community through exhibitions and affiliations.

1. Drawing Studio
Old Dominion University
Spring 2013

2. Bio:
In life all of us have a beginning and an end.
How one lives the part in between is the real
story.
My story began in 1953. My parents were Don
and Beth Stephenson. Dad was a college
student at the University of Oklahoma and my
mother was a nurse. At age three, we returned
to their home state of Iowa and that is where I
spent the next 16 years of my life.
One of my very first memories is the smell of
crayons and I remember always drawing or
making something “special”. Fortunately, my
family was very supportive of my creative
endeavors and always encouraged me and told
me that when I grew up I would be an art
teacher.
.
.

3. Although I started college at the University of Northern Iowa to become an art educator life got in the way
and I did not accomplish my goal until returning to ODU in 1991. That was a turning point in my life and
my career. It was a door opening and I walked thru it willingly. Initially, my goal was simplyto get a degree
in Art Education but once I heard the “kiss” of the ink in a Intro to Printmaking course I was hooked. I
became a studio junkie and it paid off in that recognition, awards, and scholarships like the Margolious
Scholarship were my reward for the many hours in the VAB.
After graduation from ODU, Magna Cum Laude. I knew I had to go forward so applied to grad schools
around the country. I was accepted at 3 out of the 5 that I applied to but choose East Carolina University
(ECU) as it was NASAD accredited, In 2000, I received my MFA from East Carolina University School of
Fine Arts and Communication and have actively been engaged in teaching and making Art ever since. I
have never looked back and cannot imagine a life that does not include actively engaging in the creative
process every day. I drive my family crazy but I live by the philosophy that William Blake stated:
“Art is the Tree of Life.”
My art has kept me sane, provided me with solace and inspiration. It gives me a purpose in
life and fulfills my insatiable appetite for knowledge. Every day is a new opportunity to
explore new concepts, learn new techniques and share with others the incredible creativity
that human beings share.

5. ARTIST STATEMENT
The discourse between light, color, or texture as well as all of the other
elements of art provide me with a visual language to interact and interpret
my world.
Through my art, I express, conceptualize and seek to understand the events
which shape my world. Some work may be very personal and private
communications while others are universal to all humankind. I have been
professionally trained as a printmaker with a decade of experience in
serigraphy, intaglio and lithographic processes but have recently worked
primarily in watercolor and acrylic painting media. The immediacy of these
water-based mediums provides both a challenge and an opportunity to be far
more spontaneous than allowed in printmaking. I am enthralled with
exploring and learning new processes and the myriad of opportunities each
technique allows for expression.

6. Teaching experience:
• 04/2011-05/2012 Adjunct Professor
Coastal Carolina Community College
Jacksonville, NC
• 9/2010-5/2011 Art Instructor
Jacksonville Montessori School
Jacksonville, NC
• 1/2006 – 5/2008 Adjunct Professor
Visual Arts Center, Tidewater Community College
Portsmouth, VA
• 2006 - 2008 SAS Educator and Teaching Artist
Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA)
Virginia Beach, VA
• 2000-2005 Adjunct Lecturer
East Carolina University
School of Fine Arts and Communication, Greenville, NC
• 2001-2003 Adjunct Professor
Coastal Carolina Community College, Jacksonville, NC
• 2000-2001 High School Teacher/Art Instructor
Martin County Schools, Williamston, NC
• 1998-2005 Graduate Assistant – Teaching/Research/Lab and Office
East Carolina University
School of Fine Arts and Communication, Greenville, NC

7. 2000 Master of Fine Arts (MFA) – Printmaking,
East Carolina University, Greenville, NC
1995 Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) Magna Cum Laude
Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
1990 Bachelor of Liberal Studies (BLS)
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls, IA
Education

8. Affiliations
Southern Graphics Alliance, Member, 1995 to present
Phi Kappa Phi, Member, 1995 to present
Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC)
Greenville Museum of Art, Member
East Carolina Graduate Art Alliance, President, 1999-2000
East Carolina Student Alliance, Member
Visual Arts Forum, East Carolina University School of Art and
Communication, Member, 1996-2000
ECU Printmaking Guild, President 1999-2000 and Member 1996-
2000
Old Dominion University Student Art League, President, 1994-1995
Onslow Art Society
Watercolor Society of Virginia
Suffolk Art League
Alpha Phi, Epsilon Theta Chapter, Member, Social Chairperson,
Alumni

10. Exhibitions 2000-2013
• The Creative Mark, Invitational Exhibition, Suffolk Art League, Suffolk, VA,
May-June, 2013.
• ECU School of Fine Art Alumni Exhibition, Jenkins Fine Arts Building, Gray
Gallery, Greenville, NC September-October, 2011.
• 38th Annual Art Faculty Exhibition, Visual Arts Center – TCC at Olde
Towne, Portsmouth, VA. November 2007-January 2008.
• “I See London, I See France” Suffolk Art Museum, Suffolk, VA. April – May
25, 2007
• 37th Annual Art Faculty Exhibition, Visual Arts Center-TCC at Olde Towne,
Portsmouth, VA. Nov.18, 2006-Jan. 11, 2007

11. Exhibitions 2000-2013, continued:
• 38th Annual Art Faculty Exhibition, Visual Arts Center – TCC at Olde Towne, Portsmouth, VA.
November 2007-January 2008.
• “I See London, I See France” Suffolk Art Museum, Suffolk, VA. April – May 25, 2007
• 37th Annual Art Faculty Exhibition, Visual Arts Center-TCC at Olde Towne, Portsmouth, VA.
Nov.18, 2006-Jan. 11, 2007
• “nine” Group Exhibition, Wayne Co. Arts Council, Goldsboro, NC, November 5 – January 5, 2007
• “9”, Group Exhibition, Elizabeth City State University Gallery, Elizabeth City, NC. October, 2006
• “Bringing it All Back Home” ECU Alumni Exhibition, Gray Gallery, ECU, Greenville, NC. Sept.-Oct.
2006
• “8”, Group Exhibition, Green County Museum, Snowhill, NC, Sept, 2006
• “8”, Group Exhibition, Community Council for the Arts, Kinston, NC, Jun. – Aug. 2006
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, ECU 2005 Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, Greenville, NC, Oct-Nov.
2005
• 25th Wayne Co. National Juried Arts Exhibition, Wayne Co. Art Council, Goldsboro, NC, Sept.-Oct.
2004
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, 2004 ECU Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, Greenville, NC, Oct.-Nov.
2004
• 24th Wayne Co. National Juried Arts Exhibition, Wayne Co. Art Council, Goldsboro, NC, Sept.-Oct.
2003
• “Those Who Can Teach” Juried Exhibition, Onslow Center for the Arts, Jacksonville, NC, 2003
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, 2003 ECU Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, Greenville, NC, Sept.-Oct.
2003
• “PH-1 Factor” Two Person Exhibition, Onslow Center for the Arts, Jacksonville, NC, Jan. 2003
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, 2002 Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, November, 2002
• “Vie Dieu”, 30th Southern Graphics Print Exhibition, New Orleans, LA, April, 2002
• CCA 2002- 21st Annual Competitive Exhibition, Community Council for the Arts, Kinston, NC. Jan.-
Feb.2002

12. Exhibitions 2000-2013 , continued:
• 25th Wayne Co. National Juried Arts Exhibition, Wayne Co. Art Council, Goldsboro, NC,
Sept.-Oct. 2004
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, 2004 ECU Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, Greenville, NC,
Oct.-Nov. 2004
• 24th Wayne Co. National Juried Arts Exhibition, Wayne Co. Art Council, Goldsboro, NC,
Sept.-Oct. 2003
• “Those Who Can Teach” Juried Exhibition, Onslow Center for the Arts, Jacksonville, NC,
2003
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, 2003 ECU Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, Greenville, NC,
Sept.-Oct. 2003
• “PH-1 Factor” Two Person Exhibition, Onslow Center for the Arts, Jacksonville, NC, Jan.
2003
• “A Tradition of Excellence”, 2002 Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery, November, 2002
• “Vie Dieu”, 30th Southern Graphics Print Exhibition, New Orleans, LA, April, 2002
• CCA 2002- 21st Annual Competitive Exhibition, Community Council for the Arts, Kinston,
NC. Jan.-Feb.2002
• “Lifeline”, Women Artists Exhibition, Community Council for the Arts, Kinston, NC.
March-April 2002
• Master of Fine Arts Thesis Exhibition, Hampton Gallery and Permanent Collection Gallery,
Kinston Arts Center, Kinston, NC. June-July, 2000
• Rebel Exhibition, ECU Mendenhall Gallery, Greenville, NC
• CCA 2000 National Competitive Exhibition, Kinston, NC

13. Other art organizations and activities:
• Visiting Artist –East Carolina University National Day of Writing, October, 2012
• Visiting Artist – East Carolina University National Day of Writing-October, 2011
• Juror - Wildlife Exhibition, Artists Gallery, Virginia Beach, VA. October – Nov. , 2008
• Juror/Standards Committee Member – 52nd Annual International Boardwalk Arts Festival, Virginia Beach, VA.
• June 16-19, 2007.
• Juror - 26th Annual County-Wide Student Art Competition. Jones-Onslow EMC, Onslow Council for the Arts,
Jacksonville,
• NC, March, 2003.
• “Monoprint Workshop”, Instructor, Greenville Museum of Art, Greenville, NC, March, 2000.
• Printmaking Lab Assistant - ECU School of Fine Art and Communication, Greenville, NC, Jan-May, 2000.Responsible
• for maintaining bulk supplies in the print studios (primarily solvents and acid baths). Maintenance of rags, newsprint
• for printmaking survey courses. Supervised undergraduate printmaking studio, one night/week/3hrs.
• Printmaking Lab Assistant - ECU School of Fine Art and Communication, Greenville, NC, Jan – May, 1999.
• Responsible for maintaining bulk supplies in the print studios (primarily solvents and acid baths).
• Maintenance of rags, newsprint including OSHA mandates for disposal and safety.
• for printmaking survey courses. Supervised the undergraduate printmaking studio, one night/week/3hrs.
• School of Art Graduate Office Assistant - East Carolina School of Fine Art and Communication, Greenville,
• NC, May- June, 1998. Responsible for assisting the secretary to the Graduate Director. Included processing
• and maintaining files for all graduate students (current and new), forms and application for the School of Art
• graduate program. Responsible for completing assignments for the Graduate Director in the absence of the secretary.
• Printmaking Lab Assistant - ECU School of Fine Art and Communication, Greenville, NC, Aug-Dec 1999. Responsible
for maintaining bulk supplies in the print studios (primarily solvents and acid baths). Maintenance of rags, newsprint
• for printmaking survey courses. Supervised undergraduate printmaking studio, one night/week/3hrs.
• Southeastern College Art Conference (SECAC) Conference Panelist – “Angst, Anticipation And Actuality”.
Graduate

17. Marie Laveaux Preliminary Sketch

18. Encaustics-Femme Fatale Series

19. I N S P I R A T I O N

20. Hollywood Cemetery, Richmond VA

21. R e s e a r c h
"What creature with one voice walks on four legs in the morning, on two
legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening — and is weakest when it
has the most legs?

22. OEDIPUS AND THE THEBAN SPHINX
The Sphinx was sent by Hera to plague and punish the city of Thebes for the
crimes of King Laius — for kidnapping and raping the boy Chrysippus.
Others say the Sphinx was sent by Dionysos to punish the Thebans for
neglecting his worship. In any case, the Sphinx certainly throttled Thebes.
Choking off all traffic into and out of the city's gate, from a high rock or wall
(acropolis) near the city gate she waylaid travelers and passersby and asked
them her famous riddle: "What creature with one voice walks on four legs in
the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening — and is
weakest when it has the most legs?" No man could answer her riddle.
Therefore, one by one, she strangled them and gobbled them up. Or, some
say, she seized the men and dashed them to their deaths from her rocky
perch. (Just as criminals were executed, at Athens, by being tossed off the
wall of the acropolis?) Even the king's son, Haimon, whose name means
"bloody," was thus bloodied by the Sphinx.
Finally Oedipus came and found the solution. Oedipus’ answer: “Man, who
walks on all fours in infancy, walks upright on two legs in the midday of his
life, and hobbles about with a staff in old age.”
Dumbfounded by his brilliant reply, the monster dashed herself to pieces on
the rocks below. But some say she refused to quit and that Oedipus was
forced to kill her with the point of his spear.

23. The SPHINX in the Visual Arts

24. Egyptian Hatshepsut
Sphinx_New Kingdom
Egyptian Sphinx

25. Assyrian Sphinx
Rhodian Sphinx Plate

27. Oedipus and the Sphinx by Gustave Moreaux

29. Sphinx - visual interpretations by other artists

30. Sphinx attacking a Theban youth. From the foot of Phidias‘ colossal statue of
Zeus at Olympia. "On each of the two front feet are set Theban children
ravished by sphinxes..."(Pausanias)

32. Devonian Sphinx

34. Leonora Fini
“…the only artist to paint women
without apology. Her women are
sphinxes, strong, beautiful and
feline, protecting those they love.
Symbolic of the nexus of mystery
and power.”
Mina Loy

35. Sphinx Tableau – NORVA , Norfolk, VA

37.  Sphinx in Greek means “strangler”. Female sphinxes first appeared about the 8th c
BC and were placed on tombstones and free-standing columns in temple
courtyards. The she-monster had the head and breasts of a woman, body of a lion,
wings of and eagle and the tail of a snake. Her origin has several explanations
including that she was the daughter of Echidna (half-woman and half-snake) and
Typhon, a giant winged monster whose fists were snake heads and body from the
waist down was a mass of snakes. Others believed she was born of Echidna and her
dog son, Orthron while another story is that the Sphinx was conceived from Orthron
and the Chimera.
 For mankind, Foolishness is the Sphinx. Foolishness speaks in riddles of these
things: of what is good, what is bad, and what is neither good nor bad in life. Thus,
if anyone does not undertand these things he is destroyed by her, not all at once, as a
person devoured by the Sphinx died. Rather he is destroyed little by little,
throughout his entire life, just like those who are handed over for retribution.[i.e
imprisoned and/or tortured?] But if one does understand, Foolishness is in turn
destroyed, and he himself is saved and is blessed and happy in his whole life.”
(from Fitzgerald and White, The Tabula of Cebes, Chico, California: Scholars Press,
1983, p.63)
The Sphinx in Literature

38.  Like many personifications of the heart's dilemmas, its dreadful ambivalences,
sphinxes aroused excitement as well as terror. They had a lascivious air --
stemming perhaps from the archaic smile, which appeared on the statues of
handsome young men and women during the archaic period -- an enigmatic
smile easily confused in later periods with the come-hither smile of a woman
on the make? Several texts treat sphinxes ironically as hetairai, i.e. courtesans,
especially as whores of Megara (by, among other writers, Aristophanes,
Acharnians 738). Plutarch compares the sphinx to the insidious smile of
hetairai, particularly on objects meant for milady's toilette, exhibiting the
sphinx as an attribute of Aphrodite!
The Sphinx in Literature, continued:

39. Other examples of the Sphinx in Literature:
 "The Sphinx" by Thomas Carlyle (chapter in Past and Present)
 "buried for a thousand years, in stone coffins, with mummies and sphinxes"
by Thomas de Quincy (from Confessions of an English Opium Eater)
 "Child of the Sphinx" by Sheridan Le Fanu (chapter in Uncle Silas)
 "Distressing Tale of Thangobrind the Jeweler" by Lord Dunsany (short
story)
 "The Sphinx" by Oscar Wilde (poem)
 "Jenny" by Dante Gabriel Rossetti (poem)
 "Spleen III [the Sphinx]" by Charles Baudelaire
 “The Sphinx”, Edgar Allen Poe, 1850.

40. Exhibition Opening Reception, May 4th!
Sphinx series - The Guardian, The Prey, At
the Water's Edge and Sphinxes of the
Oracle will be on exhibit.
Current Exhibition at Suffolk Art Gallery on display May 5-June 8, 2013

41. http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/cstephensongibbs.html