A Russian Christmas

A working cover for a children's storybook. This will hopefully be a bilingual publication!

"A great trademark is appropriate, dynamic, distinctive and unique."

Primo Angeli

Zobeida: Dancer in Schérhérazade

The character featured here is Tamara Karsavina as 'Zobeida'; the sloe-eyed, Theda Bara-esqued dancer from the Russian ballet Schérhérazade (A Persian tale, originally from the book One Thousand and One Nights). It also made its debut in the encore presentation Eikonostasis. This piece will is also the prerequisite of the upcoming Schérhérazade Series.

One must seek solutions that are engaging and demanding visually.

Traveling Show: Eikonostasis Encore

Due to high demand, an encore presentation of the debut exhibition 'Eikonostasis' was unveiled this month at the Goochland Library Gallery of Virginia. A perfect venue for children and young adult book writers seeking illustrators. The exhibition also features new additional pieces dedicated to the series not featured in the previous gallery in the preceding month.

Be sure to visit the gallery of the Goochland Library on River Road West in Goochland. Contact 804.556.4774 for directions!
Exhibition dates: 09.November-30.November 2009

Thank you to all who attended the opening reception and the posted gallery dates at Richmond's Gallery5 during the Carnival of 5 Fires in October.
New work will be posted soon!

Become a fan on FaceBook: Stèphanie M.T. Krëhbiël

Special Edition Prints On Sale Now!

Check out the new online store:

http://krehbielstore.blogspot.com

"The aim of every authentic artist is not to conform to the history of art, but to release himself from it in order to replace it with his own history."

-Harold Rosenberg

Advertising Poster: Eikonostasis Exhibition

Here's a peek at the exhibition poster, not yet plastered all about the city. Gallery5 and myself hope to see many of you on First Friday, 2nd of October, 2009 at the sneak peek of the Carnival of 5 Fires! Be sure to check out this months' itinerary: Gallery5

On the second floor, the new craft-based gallery; GallowLily's will be where the Eikonostasis exhibit is located. I will be on premises during the opening reception to answer questions concomitant to the exhibition and mission intent.

The work will be up throughout the month of October.

Become a fan on FaceBook: Stèphanie M.T. Krëhbiël

Article on the Richmond Grid Website!

An online announcement of the EIKONOSTASIS exhibition on the Richmond Grid Online Website:

http://www.richmondgrid.com/index.asp?ID=136

EIKONOSTASIS: Solo Exhibition at Gallery5 in Richmond, 2 October 2009

Announcing my debut solo exhibition at Richmond's Gallery 5, 200 West Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23220

The show will open First Friday, the 2nd of October 2009 at 7-10pm.

EIKONOSTASIS: The work of Stephanie M.T. Krehbiel

EXHIBITION STATEMENT: "I grew up examining collections of icons and iconostases of the Russian Orthodox Church; not only for their significance and utilization; but also for the fundamental appreciation of the artistic value; fusing both my eastern and western perspective and upbringing into a cohesive, singular image.

While the iconic subjects carry an archaic theme, the execution is of a modern hand and intent. Implementing photography, ink and washes on paper rather than egg tempera on wood, the media employed suggests modernity and impermanence.

This exhibition is an effort to revive the curiosity, artistic style and knowledge of both the historical and fictitious figures and to furthermore pay the due respect to the saint that cradled each icon as if it were a newborn baby. The Eikonostasis Series is an attempt to bridge the icon-inspired works into the 21^st century and to acknowledge these subjects, but not to worship the narrative."

Contact Gallery 5 for further show details at (804) 644.0005 or contact artist: krehbieldesign@gmail.com

Prints will also be available for purchase.

I hope to see you all there! Many thanks to all for your support!

"An image....is not simply a trademark, a design, a slogan or an easily remembered picture. It is a studiously crafted personality profile of an individual, institution, corporation, product or service."

-Daniel Boorstin

The Krëhbiël Agency

New projects posted on The Krëhbiël Agency Site. Be sure to visit:

http://krehbielagency.tumblr.com

ABOUT: The Krëhbiël Agency is a Richmond-based design studio/firm, specializing in business branding, web and graphic design, photography and visual solutions with an emphasis on illustration in the widest media available per client.

KA holds a passion for visual communication.

SERVICES: Graphic Design (Magazines, book and direct mail), Illustration (Concept development, editorial spreads/spots, book covers and promotional), Corporate Branding Development and Identity (Logos, postcards/business cards, print ads campaigns), Web Design, Advertising and Marketing/Promotional materials (Print Ads, Photography, Brochures and artist promotional materials).

CONTACT: All enquiries can be directed to krehbiel.agency@gmail.com

Become a fan on FaceBook: The Krehbiel Agency

"Do not fail, as you go on, to draw something every day, for no matter how little it is, it will be worthwhile and it will do you a world of good."

-Cennini, 1370-1440

Preliminaries: Illustrations for the aforementioned books

"Great designers seldom make great advertising men, because they get overcome by the beauty of the picture - and forget that merchandise must be sold."

James Randolph Adams

An Interim Statement

Hello friends and colleagues!

Just a brief update; project wise. It has been quite a summer and it feels extraordinarily irregular to not prepare for the autumn semester. This summer has kept me quite occupied, firmly establishing the agency and promoting my illustration work as well as looking for that 8-5 job with health insurance.

The Krëhbiël Agency has received a load of work the past three months. Coupled with that, there have been a lot of ideas churning about for upcoming illustration projects as well as commissions. More will be posted soon!

For an abridged itinerary, of course subject to change; I have been requested to illustrate two young adult books for a Polish woman author overseas (this is still hush, hush), my book The Brothers' Baronov transcript is still in process/editing but the illustrations are finally taken shape. Lastly, there has been some interest from galleries around the state and a gallery in Poland interested in incorporating my work into upcoming shows early next year. Details, dates and times will be posted as we near the opening.

In summary, a message to my colleagues at VCU, seniors and sophomores: It is up to you to work as diligently and as hard in order to promote yourself and to be successful, both academically and professionally. But to do so, start as early as you walk into your first semester in Communication Arts. Your professors are valuable assets and full of resources, your colleagues also offer links to you in the art community, take advantage of your time at VCU. Furthermore, having a community to sustain contact is an integral part of your success as a visual artist.

Have a wonderful semester to you all,

Stèphanie M. T. Krëhbiël (VCU Communication Arts Alumni 2009)

The Krëhbiël Agency

Präsident und Generaldirektor

President and CEO

"Providing, meaning to a mass of unrelated needs, ideas, words and pictures - it is the designer's job to select and fit this material together and make it interesting."
-Paul Rand

Cast Your Vote!

An online critique! Cast your vote on which you think is the most successful! Design alternatives and recommendations are welcome!

"The aim of every authentic artist is not to conform to the history of art, but to release himself from it in order to replace it with his own history." -Harold Rosenberg

A Few Little Ink Sketches

Brothers' Baronov: A Roman Soldier....in a Russian fable?

A page spread for the book, coming 2010. More illustrations on the way.

Die Sieben Samurai

The Seven Samurai, Krehbiel style; with a German/Japanese crossover. ;)

"When people ask what equipment I use - I tell them, my eyes."

-Anonymous

http://krehbielphotography.tumblr.com/

"Design is the method of putting form and content together. Design, just as art, has multiple definitions; there is no single definition. Design can be art. Design can be aesthetics. Design is so simple, that's why it is so complicated."

-Paul Rand

Ink, ink and more ink!

"Does This Make My Head Look Big?" 2009

Saint Theodosia Editorial Illustration - Anderson Gallery, March 2009

Featured in the Communication Arts Student Show in the Anderson Gallery, 20th-29th March 2009. On permanent display in the Communication Arts Department Office, VCU Campus on West Franklin Street, Richmond.

Here is the final product on display atop and the final drawing below.

Mission Statement:

To give you a background regarding the piece, I am an apprentice at the Prosopon School of Iconology. I received my bachelors degree at VCU in Communication Arts and Illustration, so here was the end result of my training and education where the two; the secular and religious somewhat collide. My master would throw a fit if he saw this, however.



When I had my solo show on display recently, this specific image has been often misinterpreted as a "Madonna with Child" and this in no form or fashion is correct. To illustrate, the woman wears a tapered head cover and black robes, indicating her position as an orthodox nun. The fact that she is cradling a precious baby as if it were her own, emerging from an icon modernly suggests the Saint Theodosia of Constantinople who was the patron saint of icons. The baby was purposefully represented as the "every woman's baby" and not baby Jesus, so there are many elements integrated within this one image that are almost always subjugated to misinterpretation. But the purpose is to bring the iconostasis from the church, the wall of information; to a modern and fresh audience. The gallery seems to be the venue for new information and narrative. There are very few existing icons of her, so I took on the task.

Saint Theodosia was an Eastern Orthodox nun, living in a monastery in Constantinople, (Istanbul today). She was witness to the iconoclasm/iconoclastic persecutions during the reign of Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. In 729 Emperor Leo ordered to have all icons in the city removed as well as a specifically significant icon of Christ that stood over the Chalke Gate of the imperial palace. Theodosia was summoned to hide and protect all of the removable icons of her monastery in her room. As the order was about to take place, a group of women surfaced to prevent the removal with Theodosia among the group. Whilst an officer stood on the ladder attempting to remove the icon, Theodosia shook the ladder strongly until the officer fell from it. Unfortunately, the man did die from his injuries. Theodosia was then promptly arrested and brought to a court where she was executed by a ram’s horn through the neck.

Soon after the iconoclasm, Theodosia was then recognised as a martyr and saint of the church. For her fervent efforts and sacrifice of her life, there was a church named for her as well as the sea walls, named the Gate of Hagia Theodosia in the early 1300s in Constantinople, so quite a few centuries after her death. Fortunately, Theodosia is one of the most venerated and revered saints.

As of March 2010, I am currently working on a project of the saints, fables and their iconographic significance into an illustrative series for general public view, rather contemporising the message for the modern audience, with an individual statement for each of course! The others will carry the same style and likewise visual elements.



In summation, my intention was to project a refreshed look to a contemporary mass audience.

"If you have ideas and imagery, technique will follow."

-Anonymous

Book Cover: Queen of Spades

Queen of Spades by Alexander Pushkin (Russian Short Story)

Medium: Photography, pigment and ink

Playing Cards

Three of the designs produced for a playing card project.

TSAR(Detail)

Medium: Pigment and ink

SERIOUS JOKER (Detail)

TSARITSA (Detail)