Sztabnik’s paintings demonstrate a play between abstraction and representational content. Perhaps a struggle with identity. The paint is her vehicle and is applied with expressive gestures mixing rich hues while scraping, dripping or brushing with lush relevance. Her paintings possess elements of neo-expressionism and abstract expressionism, combined with figurative forms or structures that are highly complex. The paintings can amuse and terrify at a psyche level. There is nothing fragile here, it is painterly in a very raw manner, yet exposes a human quality. Sometimes there are repeated images a bird may appear other elements suggesting loss or longing. Colors range from bright and cheerful to sullen and moody. Sztabnik’s paintings provoke a dramatic and compelling emotional struggle.