Stephanie Donsø
Artist, illustrator & maker
About
Stephanie Donsø is a Danish artist living and working in Denmark. Her works lie at the intersection where art, illustration and craft meet. With inspiration from folktales, folkart, surrealism, myths, comics, childrens books and everyday living she explores the realtionsship between visual storytelling, illustration and fine art.
Stephanie's pictures often features charachters appearing with silhouettes, plants and Nature sceneries. With the use of transparent layers of paintstrokes and pencil her expression blends a fabulating presence with emotinal sensitivity.
To some Stephanie is also known as the artist behind Det Gyldne Blad (The Golden Leaf) Within this brand she creates and illustrate towards the world of childrens books in which she has illustrated several childrens books etc. and runs a webshop with related paper goods and crafts.
"My ideas work side by side and years back I needed to give in to that to see what would happen. I came up with a name that should not be my own and it was 'Det Gyldne Blad' which is like a passage from a longer sentence. Now, for years I have worked as an illustrator too – at times mostly - and find it’s been rewarding towards my exploration of my methods, composition and feeling free about what inspires me towards making fine art. Basicly, I think of my art and exploration as coming from ’one channel’ and at the same time I also divide my art practice into two. There is some sort of difference in the purpose. I think about it as a musician who plays in different bands. It’s the same musician but she gets to expand and explore more kinds of music and ways”.
Stephanie has exhibited within Denmark and abroad in countries like England, Holland, France and Germany at galleries, in solo and groupshows and juried exhibitions. Lately she has also been granted with a working grant form the Danish Arts Foundation.
Stephanie is a member of:
Billedkunstnernes Forbund (BKF) / Danish Visual Artist
Dansk Forfatterforening & Illustratorerne / Danish Authors Society & Illustrators.
Contact for any type of inquiry, suggestions, cooperation etc.:
Stephanie Donsø
Soldraget 21
3460 Birkerød
Denmark
sdonsoe[a]gmail.com
Exhibitions
Upccoming
2026
01.08-30.08.2026 Soloshow:
'Også så sagde vi at jeg kom med blomster'
(And then we said I brought you flowers)
Lyngby Kunstforening in Portnerboligen at Sophienholm
Solo
2020
Imellem strå - er der en vej (Between Straw - There Is A Path). Kapau Designershop, CPH, DK
2013
Valmue (Poppy). Vaeg Gallery. Aalborg. DK
2010
REDElighed (Nest Alike). Modtar Projects. CPH, DK
I træerne sidder der fugle (Birds Are Sitting In The Trees). Gallerirummet/Hvidovre Head Library, DK
2007
Stille stille eller storm. (Quiet Quiet Or Storm). The Cobra Room by Sophienholm Artmuseum. Lyngby. DK
2004
Mennesker Imellem (People In Between). Astel Gallery. CPH, DK
2003
Kredsløb (Circulation). Gallery Villa Bournonville. Fredensborg. DK
Group
2022-23 traveling exhibition with illustations for the book 'Den Store H.C. Andersen eventyrbog' together with 88 Danish illustrators, DK
2022
Summershow. Galleri Heike Arndt, DK
SCOUT II, group show. Galleri Heike Arndt, DK.
2021
Biennal Of The Northern Festival of Illustration. Exhibition of the shortlisted artists/illustrators of the Northern Illustration Award. St. Hildas, Hartlepool. UK.
SCOUT I, group show. Galleri Heike Arndt DK, Kettinge.
Fresh Legs, group show. Galleri Heike Arndt DK Berlin.
2015
Imago Mundo group show at The Venice Biennale. Curated by Sophus Gether. Founded by Lucido Benetton. IT
2014
What A Wonderful World. Nees Udstilling. Vemb, DK Censorer: Tomas Lagermand, Jette Ellgard, Jens Ardal, Morten Kroman.
2013
Kast et blik (Throw A View).at Kunstpakhuset Ikast. DK
Sublimate Sublime Subliminal. The Underdog Gallery. London. UK
Sublimate Sublime Subliminal. The Lloyds Club. London. UK
Vaeg Gallery, groupshow. Aalborg, DK
2012
FreeStyle. Gallery North. CPH, DK
Global Village III. Brønden Culture house, Brøndby, DK. By Stitching White Cube.
Global Village II. Château de Sully, Burgundy, France. By Stitching White Cube.
Global Village I. Projekt072 Alkmaar, The Netherlands. By Stitching White Cube.
Huset i skoven (The House In The Forest). The Exhibition house Skovhuset ved Søndersø. Værløse. DK
2011
Projekt072 – Is Watching You. Projekt072, Alkmaar, The Netherlands. Curator: Jeroen Van Paasen.
For Livet (For Life). Awareness exhibition for World Aids Day, Medicines Sans Frontiers. Rigshospitalet. DK. Kurator: Julie Nielsen Damgaard.
DyreDamer (Animal Ladies) The Art Center Silkeborg Bad. Silkeborg, DK
2010
OUTSIDE. Cukoo Farm Studios. In coop. with Tim Skinner. Colchester, UK
2009
Drawings and graphic work. Gallery Rebecca Kormind. CPH, DK
TRÆ(F)PUNKT (Meeting Point) Gallery Rebecca Kormind. CPH, DK
Play Along. Gallery Rumkammerat. CPH, DK
2008
Over bakke og dal… (Over Hill And Valley…) Møstings House. CPH, DK
2007
Med blade der skygger for lyset.. (With Leafs Shading For The Light..) Together with Lykke Andersen Peter Lav Photo Gallery. CPH, DK
The Human Nature Gallery Martin Asbæk Projects. CPH, DK
2006
Passionsdage (Passion Days). Oeksnehallen exhibition hall. CPH, DK
The hanging committee exhibition. Hvidovre Head Library. CPH, DK
2004
Astel Gallery September Group Exhibition. CPH, DK
2003
The Spring exhibition. Charlottenborg Contemporary Art Exhibition Hall. CPH, DK
New Talents II, Provence Gallery. Aalborg, DK
2002
The Degree Show, Colchester School Of Art. Colchester, UK
Nature-Nurture. Hay Gallery, Together with Richard W. Cox. Colchester, UK
Re-flex-ion, Brixton Art Gallery. London, UK
2001
Fourteen, Digby Gallery. Colchester, UK
1998
Bilingues, Outdoor exhibition together with author Anne-Louise Bosmans. Fredensborg, DK
1997
Art Weekend. Fredensborg Library, DK
Autumn Exhibition, Humlebæk Art union, Humlebæk Library. Humlebaek, DK
Curator of the group exhibitions
2013
Kast et blik (Throw A View) in coop. with artist Mie Mørkeberg. Kunstpakhuset in Ikast. DK
2012
Huset i Skoven (The House In The Forest). In coop. with artist Lykke Andersen. Skovhuset ved Søndersø. Værløse, DK
2011
DyreDamer (Animal Ladies) in coop. with
Mag.art Birgitte Agersnap. Kunstcentret/The Art Center Silkeborg Bad, Silkeborg, DK
2009
TRÆ-F PUNKT, Gallery Rebecca Kormind. CPH, DK
2008
Over bakke og dal.. (Over Hill And Valley…) in coop. with artist Lykke Andersen. Møstings House. CPH, DK
2007
The Human Nature, Martin Asbæk Projects. CPH, DK
CV
Education
1999-2002 BaHons with Honors of Fine Art
Colchester School of Art & Design, UK.
Seminariet For Formgivning.
2015 Started her illustrative maker-brand
Det Gyldne Blad (The Golden Leaf)
2018- now. Illustrated a number of light reading books and childrens books for the Book publishers: Turbine Forlaget, Straarup & Co, Bibelselskabets Forlag, Forlaget Frø, Tulip/Penquin Books (Germany)
2019-2020 Art teacher at Birkerød Fritidsskoler
2023 Art teacher at Birkerød Fritidsskoler
Stephanie also helds an education as a Psykomotrician Therapist.
Grants
2026 Working Grant, The Danish Arts Foundation
2024 Working grant, Autorkontoen.
2021 Working grant, Autorkontoen.
2019 Working grant, Autorkontoen.
2021 Shortlisted for the Northern Illustration Award, Hartlepool, UK.
2012 Grant by The Danish Arts Council’s Committee for the exhibition "Huset i skoven/The House In The Forrest".
2012 The Augustinus Fond for the exhibition ”Huset i skoven”/”The House In The Forest”. Skovhuset ved Søndersø, Værløse, DK
Other
2001 Shortlisted to The Northern Illustration Prize held by The Northern School Of Art & The Association of Illustrators (The AOI)