ABOUT ELISE
ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is inspired by my observations of the natural world whether through travel or simply looking outside my back door. Using pastels, I capture a simple scene and transcend the ordinary into a work of vibrant beauty with spiritual dimension. My attention is given to a strong sense of light and an intense richness of color. My intent is to connect the viewer to a sense of healing and inner peace.
I love using pastels. I feel they are a direct connection from my body to the paper. I use my figures as a tool to blend vibrant pigment and create endless tones of color. I start each piece by blocking and building layers of color in the dark areas and working toward the lightest tones and highlights. I am always amazed at the versatility of using pastels. With the ease of an erasure or rub off you can change color, value or form.
BIOGRAPHY
A native of New York City, Elise has a BA in Fine Art from Binghamton University. After a successful career in design and print production, Elise together with her husband, developed a nationally known greeting card company, MixedBlessing, Inc. The creative process of designing her greeting card line brought Elise back to her first love of painting. Her focus, pastel landscapes depicted the healing beauty of nature. Elise's passion for painting mountain landscapes led her to relocate to Asheville, in the heart of North Carolina's Blue Ridge. 37 of Elise's paintings can be found in a book she co-authored with her with her husband, Messages to the Heart, Reflections of Beauty and Truth. Her paintings and book can be seen in her working studio and gallery space in the Wedge Buildilng in Asheville's River Arts District.
Elise's art has been selected for many juried shows,and is part of the permanent collection of several major medical facilities including Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Medical, Durham NC, Mission Health Care, Asheville and Highlands NC, UNC Rex Holly Springs Hospital, Cone Health Women's & Children's Center at Moses Cone Hospital,Greensboro NC.