We were lucky to catch up with Stephanie Schwiederek recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Stephanie, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
Finding my purpose wasn’t something that happened overnight—it was a journey shaped by struggle, resiliency, and a desire for something more. I grew up in a motel, an environment that came with its own set of challenges. Stability was not common place and, from an early age, I learned the realities of hardship. There were two sets of rules: one for those with means and one for those that were barely surviving, living paycheck to paycheck. School didn’t feel like a priority at the time. At 16 I wasn’t thinking about the future—I just knew that traditional education wasn’t working for me, so I dropped out of high school.
For several months, I drifted, trying to find my place. We finally moved out of the motel and into an apartment before my seventeenth birthday. That summer I got a job at a dollar discount store about a mile and a half away. I didn’t have a car at the time, so I walked to my job. I earned $7.25 an hour for four-hour shifts. I was often subjected to sexual harassment and belittlement, whether it came from my co-workers or the customers changed each day I worked. I came in contact with a variety of people many who were no different from those I met at the motel. The transactional engagement frankly felt normal. That became my life; a dull hum of depression and self-doubt, stretched out over endless four-hour shifts. About three years went by and I realized I wanted something more for myself. I needed a change and that started with a GED. I took night classes after work and passed the test a few months later. Not much had changed immediately but it was a start, the first glimmer of a world beyond my tiny mile and a half radius. I wanted more. A year later I enrolled at the County College of Morris.
I was older than many of my peers and carried the weight of years spent feeling like I had fallen behind. But something unexpected happened—I fell in love with photography and with learning itself. I thrived in a space where ideas were shared, where I was encouraged to think, question, and grow. At 22 years old, I finally found mentors: professors and peers who pushed me in ways I’d never experienced before. My mentors gave me a gift: the permission to fail and grow from failure without feeling ashamed. To support my ideas even when my vision wasn’t fully formed. Art is a process. It is discovery. Once you change the way you think the world opens up. What started as a hesitant step turned into a full sprint—I earned my Associate degree, then my Bachelor of Fine Arts from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers University, and finally my Master of Fine Arts from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. I am now an Adjunct Professor at the County College of Morris where I first started this journey.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
Part of my time is spent working in my studio on personal projects that explore the notions of family dynamics, memory, and belonging. My photographic work blends elements of documentary, portraiture, performance, and constructed imagery, allowing me to investigate the intersections of violence and intimacy, dysfunction and acceptance, resignation and resilience. My first independent documentary film, Leave Nothing Behind, was showcased at the New Jersey International Film Festival in 2021, marking a significant milestone in my career as an emerging artist. I am now working on a book and recently attended Chico Review 2025: a week-long event bringing together over twenty of the most influential and creative photographers, book makers, gallerists, museum curators, and photo-book publishers in the industry.
When I’m not in my studio, I’m an Adjunct Professor in the Photography Program for the Design and Media Studies Department at the County College of Morris. As an educator, there is a mindset I often see in my students; a fear of failure that keeps so many from trying something new or looking at a problem from a different perspective. Especially now, in a world filled with misinformation, the unattainable desire for perfection, and barriers to education. This is particularly evident in my Intro to Analog and Photographic Processes courses, where students must make room for and embrace failure, while learning patience through trial and error.
What excites me most is the way my artistic practice and my role as an educator are intertwined. Teaching isn’t just about imparting knowledge—it’s a mutual exchange. While my students are learning from me, exploring new ways to create compelling and meaningful photographs, I’m simultaneously learning from them. Their curiosity, experimentation, and unique perspectives constantly challenge and inspire me to grow as an artist. Being in the classroom keeps my practice alive and evolving. Every critique, conversation, and breakthrough moment becomes part of my own journey as much as theirs. That ongoing dialogue between educator and artist is where some of the most exciting and unexpected creative discoveries happen.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Learning to adapt and bounce back from difficult experiences gave me the resilience I needed to keep moving forward, even when the odds felt stacked against me. Vulnerability, something I once saw as weakness, became a powerful tool for connection, creativity, and growth. And perhaps most importantly, I learned to see the world beyond my own struggles. Realizing that “it’s not always about you” helped me understand empathy, community, and the importance of showing up for others.
My advice to those early in their journey is this: build your community. The idea that we have to do it all on our own to succeed is not only false—it’s unsustainable. Find your people. Make those connections. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, even when it feels uncomfortable. Resilience is not a trait that people either have or don’t have; it can be learned, cultivated, and thrives in the presence of a strong support system.
Looking back, I understand now that my purpose isn’t just about what I’ve achieved—it’s about what I can give. Whether it’s through teaching, mentoring, or simply sharing my story, I’ve found meaning in helping others realize they’re not alone. That moment, when someone else sees their own potential reflected back at them, is one of the greatest joys of my life.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I’m in the early stages of developing a book that weaves together personal narrative and photography. Because of that, I’m particularly interested in connecting with publishers, bookmakers, and editors who are passionate about storytelling and socially engaged work.
I’m also eager to collaborate with curators and fellow artists to create a show or series of installations centered around themes of family, community, resilience, and the untold stories that shape us. I believe in the power of sharing space—whether on the page or in a gallery—and I’m excited by the idea of building something meaningful in collaboration with others. If you’re reading this and feel a spark of connection to my story and my work—or if you see potential for partnership—I’d love to hear from you. The best way to reach me is via email at [email protected] or through an Instagram DM. Let’s build something meaningful together.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.schwiederek.com
- Instagram: @steph.schwiederek
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanieschwiederek/
- Other: https://vimeo.com/schwiederek
Image Credits
Dennis Link and Ashley Intile
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
