Nebulas is a powerful body of artwork by Stephanie Gonzalez that explores not only the mysteries of the cosmos, but also the internal landscapes of emotion, memory, and resilience. Both ethereal and luminous, her paintings investigate light, space, and transformation through the lens of the metaphysical, the spiritual, and the deeply personal.

Nebulas, glowing clouds of dust and gas that mark both the birth and death of stars, serve as metaphors for creation, destruction, and the cyclical nature of existence. Gonzalez draws from her experiences as a proud lesbian and Mexican woman, using abstraction as a form of self-reflection and resistance. The celestial forms in this series are informed by her meditation practice and a belief in the unseen energies that shape our lives. What may first appear as a galactic scene is also an invitation to consider the spiritual dimensions of reality; spaces filled not just with stars and color, but with invisible forces and complex, interwoven truths.

Her technique reflects both emotional depth and technical precision. Each painting begins with a black void to represent infinite space. Layers of acrylic and dye are then glazed using interference paints, producing gas-like formations that shimmer and shift with light. A stippling technique applied using acrylic markers creates radiant constellations. These marks are deliberate, controlled, and methodical, echoing Gonzalez’s broader approach to navigating trauma and transformation through art.

Gonzalez’s artwork across various medias often incorporates distressed materials and dark palettes that speak to her personal history. Born in Monterrey, Mexico and raised by her grandparents in Reynosa, she began painting at 14 as a refuge from an unstable and hostile environment. Grappling with bullying, rejection, and mental health struggles throughout her youth, she channeled that pain into her creative process. “Even though my upbringing wasn’t the easiest, it really shaped the way I create,” Gonzalez reflects. Her artwork has become a conduit for confronting issues such as domestic abuse, the marginalization of women and people of color, and queer visibility.

Nebulas ultimately asks us to see beyond the surface. It asks us to recognize that what appears as landscape or outer space is, in fact, a field of energy, emotion, and potential. In the same way that stars are born from collapse, Gonzalez suggests that beauty and light can emerge from chaos. Her artwork offers a meditation on survival, regeneration, and the unseen dimensions that connect us all.