Born in Ottawa, Canada in 1968, Stephanie Bak knew early on that she wanted to become an artist. Her mother recognized her talent, and signed her up at 12 years old, for a watercolour painting class offered by the city. This is where she discovered the joys of using colour as a bold statement within the content of her artwork.

After high school she completed a special two year post secondary fine arts program at the former High School of Commerce. There she would be heavily influenced by two of her instructors, Wilma Pinkus and Daphne Daine. Their impact on her work today is still tangible. Those two years helped Bak develop a strong portfolio, which enabled her to get advanced standing into second year at the Ontario College of Art and Design.

Bak returned to Ottawa after graduation where she has been painting full time. In 2001 she established the Loretta Studios, right in the heart of the Quad (quartier d'artistes/artists' district) in Ottawa.