How Storytelling Through Art Helps Us Make Sense of Who We are | Angela Meijer, Sondra Tregre Stanley, and Kait Matthews
In this special feature, we’re excited to share the voices of Angela Meijer, Sondra Tregre Stanley, and Kait Matthews—three unique artists who work in painting, photography, and mixed media. While their styles and mediums vary, they are united by a shared desire to express emotion, memory, culture, and connection through their art.
Through their interviews, we’ve learned that art is more than just technique—intuition, storytelling, and sometimes, healing. Angela’s intuitive process bridges painting and photography to explore memory and personal growth. Sondra’s bold, colourful works come alive through playful experimentation and a deep love of form and pattern. Kait’s reverent approach to honouring Native American women through her art reminds us of the beauty and strength in cultural roots and storytelling.
Each of these artists invites us into their world, not just to view their work, but to feel something within ourselves. Whether it’s a vibrant flower, an abstract form, or a powerful portrait, their creations remind us that art has the power to connect, transform, and endure.
So let’s dive in and get to know these incredible women and the journeys that continue to shape their creative lives.
What inspires an artist to begin again?
For Angela Meijer, the journey started with a camera lens and evolved into a rich dialogue between painting and photography. Initially trained in printmaking and photography in Portland and Amsterdam, Angela’s work is a tender exploration of memory, visual language, and the personal stories tucked inside colour and form.
After trading her camera for paints nearly two decades ago, Angela rediscovered photography a few years ago—and found herself layering one medium over the other in striking compositions. She explains, “So much can be expressed through color and movement, and this language is universal, connecting us all.”
Similarly, Sondra Tregre Stanley took her leap into artmaking by embracing experimentation. A mixed-media artist out of Goodyear, Arizona, Sondra’s journey is rooted in curiosity and courage. Her bold colour palettes and intricate compositions reflect a love of visual risk-taking. “I have discovered that mixing mediums—especially watercolours and colored pencils—challenges my imagination… There is little room for correction. That’s exciting to me,” she shares.
For Kait Matthews, it’s not only about rediscovery—it’s about reclamation. A proud Native American artist, Kait’s work uplifts the strength and beauty of Native women. With every brushstroke, she reconnects with her heritage, channelling her story and the stories of her ancestors into powerful visual narratives. Her practice, steeped in symbolism and deep-rooted cultural pride, reminds us that art can be a form of resistance, memory, and visibility.
The creative soul in everyone needs to be awakened, inspired, and nurtured. When you view my art, I hope it offers a connection, a mirror in which you can see a little of yourself and this world reflecting back.
To learn more about Kait, click on the links below.
Where does creativity live?
Inside each of these women’s practices is a vibrant interplay of inspiration, intuition, and reflection.
Angela describes her creative process as deeply intuitive—“painting from the inside out.” Guided more by emotion than structure, she layers paint and photographs to explore how memory shifts over time. “I resonate with something Marc Chagall once said,” she notes. “If I create from the heart, nearly everything works; if from the head, almost nothing.”
Sondra’s process is equally immersive but centres around play and spontaneity. She sees colour as an emotional language and leans into the unknown. “Once the colour is applied, it cannot be erased,” she says. “This is exciting since I have no idea what the outcome of the composition will look like until it is completed.”
On the other hand, Kait views her studio practice as sacred and ceremonial. Her connection to Native identity infuses her work with deep intentionality. “Every piece I create is a way to honour Native American women—our strength, our stories, our spirit,” she shares. Her artwork becomes a space where personal and collective truths converge, making the invisible visible.
Portraiture and the language of flowers are an endless source of inspiration and are emerging together with painted abstraction. It’s thrilling to see years of visual exploration converge into a visual language that is my own.
To learn more about Angela, visit the links below.
When is a piece complete?
Each artist has their way of knowing when the work is finished.
Angela relies on time, space, and reflection. “I put larger pieces up in our living room, and smaller ones on my bulletin board. I look at them at different times of day for at least a week. I know they’re done if I can still travel or experience a sense of mystery in them.”
Sondra leans on feeling. “I know a piece is finished when the colours make me smile,” she says, reminding us that a work’s emotional resonance is as important as its form.
For Kait, finishing a painting is a moment of clarity—of alignment between vision and message. Her art often carries layers of historical meaning and cultural symbolism, so it’s vital that each mark feels rooted and true. “I stop when I can feel the story has been fully told,” she shares.
I hope my work provokes thought and the appreciation of colors. Like food and clothes, a favorite thing.
Why art matters more than ever
At the heart of each artist’s story is a shared belief: art is not just something we create; it’s something that makes us. It’s a tool for navigating grief, memory, identity, and joy.
Angela’s recent work explores the concept of reimagined memory, how new choices and understandings can shift how we see the past. She captures the emotional texture of time through floral portraiture and abstract overlays.
Sondra hopes her vibrant works provoke thought and spark appreciation, especially for colour. “Like food and clothes, colour is a favourite thing,” she says with a smile. She’s also working to build an artist community centre in her city, where artists can share resources, sell their work, and collaborate across mediums and backgrounds.
Kait continues to uplift and honour Native voices, using her work to challenge stereotypes and reclaim cultural narratives. Through her art, she calls attention to the strength of Native American women and the legacy they carry forward.
A shared creative thread
After hearing from Angela Meijer, Sondra Tregre Stanley, and Kait Matthews, one thing is clear: art is not just something they make—it’s something they live. Each artist has generously opened up about their creative process, influences, and the personal stories behind their work. What we’ve learned goes far beyond technique or style.
We’ve learned that inspiration can come from anywhere—childhood memories, cultural roots, healing journeys, or even the simple act of showing up to the studio and seeing what flows. These women remind us that the artistic path isn’t always linear, but it’s always rich with discovery, emotion, and growth.
Their journeys are about more than making beautiful things. They’re about telling truths, honouring identity, and embracing vulnerability. Whether it’s Angela’s intuitive exploration of memory, Sondra’s joyful and playful experimentation, or Kait’s deep commitment to honouring Native American women, each story is a testament to how art can shape, heal, and empower.
In sharing their voices, these artists invite us to pause, reflect, and connect with their work and ourselves. And that, in itself, is a beautiful gift.
Stay tuned to the Women in Arts Network for more stories amplifying diverse, powerful contemporary art voices. Visit our website and follow us on Instagram.
