Welcome to my online gallery and blog and thanks for stopping by. I am a pencil artist with a passion for people and their stories and I hope to share with you my art as it intersects with everyday life. I love trying to capture that inner spirit of a person or the underlying feeling of a scene in my art. The unseen in a picture makes it come alive and touches something within me and my goal is to let you, the viewer, feel as if you can sense that too.

Please visit and join my sketchblog and you can keep up with what is going on in my life creatively. I love sharing what inspires me and I hope it inspires you as well. You can also visit my online gallery of drawings and see some of the commissioned portraits and drawings I have had the privilege to do for others.

Lastly, drop me a quick note on the contact page. I love hearing from people. You can add yourself to my mailing list of news and events there as well.

Rebecca Stahr was born in the northwest suburbs of Chicago, Illinois in 1971. Her love of art began at a young age and was encouraged by influential teachers throughout her youth. Her high school art teacher was her primary influence in introducing her to the world of graphic design and considering commercial art as a career. Rebecca went on to attend the American Academy of Art in Chicago, studying advertising, graphic design and illustration, where she graduated in 1992. She has been successfully working in the commercial art field since that time and currently runs her own design studio.

Trained as an illustrator, Rebecca has explored and is proficient in several media. She does a variety of subject matter, but is particularly drawn to street scenes and people in everyday life settings. Rebecca is a member of various art guilds and professional organizations and has work in many private collections.

My drawings are about celebrating people and relationships. They are about telling their stories — stories about their joy or sadness, optimism or introspection, their innocence or wisdom, as well as their grace, complexity and inner spirit. It is about reaching beyond the surface to catch a glimpse of the complexities within everyday existence. More than just a likeness, they are my interpretation of unique individuals.

I have chosen graphite pencil to focus on the light/shadow contrasts and textures. By removing the distraction of color in the composition, I can more clearly focus on the form to convey the energy and emotion of the moment.

• Portait Society of America
• The Art Institute of Chicago
• Chicago Artist's Coalition
• Lake County Art League
• The Robert T. Wright Community Gallery of Art – Artist Member
• The Art Center – Highland Park

Special thanks to Leslie at Artografi for her awesome professional studio and headshots shown above!