Stephanie Funke Sweeten

Funke Sweeten’s mother influenced her love of animals and encouraged her to pursue her artistic dreams.  Hermother has passed away but she feels her mother is influencing her eye and the touch of her brush to the canvas.  

Funke Sweeten was born in Polson, Montana and was raised on a working cattle ranch. She grew up on the backs of horses riding around her home.  Her love for animals grew from being surrounded by the animals both domestic and the abundant wildlife that thrived on the ranch.  She was inspired to paint and study the animals at a very early age.  Sweeten is a self-taught artist and painting wildlife came naturally to her. Being raised on the Salish Kootenai Reservation, her native background brings a unique perspective to her art.