Stephany Victorine
Captured by François Mittins
Cracking the Cocoon
In this talk, Stephany Victorine shares a deeply personal story about growth, identity, and learning to trust her own pace. Growing up between cultures and expectations, she reflects on feeling out of place in school, struggling with mental health, and later discovering she is autistic. Art was always there in the background. Small sketches, comics, and observations that helped her process the world, even when she didn’t yet see them as a future.
Steph walks through a non-linear path that includes immigration, burnout, creative detours, and moments of self-doubt. During the pandemic, drawing became a lifeline, eventually opening doors to illustration, printmaking, and unexpected opportunities in film, public art, and community projects. Each step brought her closer to work that felt aligned with who she actually is, not who she thought she was supposed to be.
Through humour, honesty, and vulnerability, Steph reframes growth as a process of “cracking the cocoon.” Not a single transformation, but a series of brave choices. Showing up, staying curious, building community, and allowing yourself to become something unexpected.
stephillustration.net
@stephillustrations
