This week, WIP is putting the spotlight on Stephanie Lefebvre, in art Amber and Rose, a multi-talented artist based in Montreal, Canada.

With a background in graphic design, photography, and floral design, Stephanie's creative journey has led her to explore a variety of mediums and find inspiration in the beauty of the world around her. Recently, she discovered the world of AI-assisted art through Midjourney, and has been captivated by the endless possibilities it offers for artistic expression.

Her creative process is deeply rooted in her photography background, with a keen focus on elements such as light, angle, and framing. Her unique approach has led her to develop a style that favors realism and portraiture, with aspirations to incorporate more floral and poetic themes in her future work.

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What does your typical creative process look like?

My creative thinking naturally leans towards photography, and I believe it has been this way since I was around 12-13 years old. At that age, I discovered fashion magazines, great photographers, designers - it was the era of supermodels. I was fascinated by the stories told in a few images. I also dabbled in writing and theater, but in the end, photography stood out and remained, becoming my profession for 15 years. My process with AI involves thinking about all these elements to create an editorial: scenario, setting, clothing, lighting, etc. What's really great is being able to play with all these creative processes at the same time, with no restrictions. AI is an excellent medium for realizing inaccessible concepts and opens up an infinite universe of possibilities that I could never have imagined. I am very inspired by this fluid dialogue with AI, where it surprises me and where I learn to better manipulate words to get the best possible results. Sometimes I initiate the conversation, and when I lack inspiration, I develop seedlings of ideas with it. No matter what, I am never disappointed.

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Your work draws from your diverse background in graphic design, photography, and floral design. How do you combine these influences when creating AI art, and what unique elements do they bring to your creations?

At the risk of repeating myself, everything converges towards the desire to tell a story. I believe this is the common link between all these worlds. Just like in graphic design, photography, or floristry, the "medium," whatever it may be, is at the service of storytelling. AI is just another tool. Additionally, throughout these various fields, I maintain a fascination with light, angles, textures, and colors. In life, I love manipulating materials, and I aspire to create images that evoke a sense of tangibility. In this regard, Midjourney never ceases to surprise me with its way of delivering details, and keeps me captivated; I am far from jaded. Obviously, hyperrealism is the style that perfectly suits my ideas, but I would also like to find a formula to introduce more surrealism while keeping my personal touch.

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Is there a particular message or theme that you hope to communicate through your AI-generated art? If so, how do you convey this message visually?

I celebrate femininity and red hair. I have already mentioned it... as a child and teenager, I was self-conscious about being a redhead until I realized it allowed me to stand out. Over time, this insecurity transformed into a strength and forged a very strong and assertive, yet sensitive, character in me. So, I want to celebrate everything it has brought into my life, both the beautiful and the less beautiful. And so far, it has been positively cathartic. Moreover, just as I did during my photography career, I make it a point to celebrate femininity without ever resorting to nudity or sexuality. I wish AI would spare us from that, but unfortunately, as with photography, we are overwhelmed with images depicting women in degrading ways. I want to be among those who elevate the standard.

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In your view, how can AI-generated art preserve the human touch and narrative aspect that is often associated with traditional photography?

We must not forget that there is a human behind the "robot," someone who interacts with it, dictating an idea or an emotion. As long as this remains the case, I am not worried. Moreover, I don't believe the concepts would be as rich, visually and emotionally, if AI was dialoguing with itself. That's why I love the idea behind the term "promptographer," which highlights the human element behind the creation of an image. It acknowledges that the act of photographing wasn't performed, but it credits the creator with a process, a creative intent, and an investment of time in developing their own way of crafting a good prompt and finding their unique touch. As in any form of art, there are technicians and there are artists. And ideally, both are present. This isn't unique to AI, but here the distinction is clear.

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We understand this is a complex topic, but we'd love to hear your thoughts on the ethical concerns surrounding AI-generated art, such as copyright infringement and the potential to undermine traditional artists in the AI art space. How do you navigate these issues as an AI artist?

To be honest, I am very torn. I hope that discussions on these issues become more common but, above all, more constructive. For now, I find it mainly limited to AI bashing. I am conflicted because, of course, I am against plagiarism and exact copying. And, like many, I am concerned about the misuse of disinformation and the dangers related to deep fakes. Nevertheless, I have always worked in fields where forms of artistic expression influence each other, where everything is borrowed and revisited at some point. We see it in fashion, music, painting, and photography. The best creators distinguish themselves in their ability to evolve these trends, adapting them to reflect an era. AI is undoubtedly a turning point of our time, and I hope we find an ethical way to develop it to continue creating new visual codes. We already see works that simply wouldn't exist without the fluidity and flexibility of this technology.

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As you continue to evolve your creative process, are there any new skills or knowledge you're looking to acquire? If so, how do you plan on integrating these into your AI-generated art to further develop your artistic practice?

I am always learning, and it's very stimulating. AI evolves at an incredible speed, evolving at a mind-spinning fast pace! Each new version of Midjourney, for example, forces us to adapt, re-learn prompting, and requires a significant investment of research time. So, my intention is to stay as up-to-date as possible and to start familiarizing myself with animation and video.

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