We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Elisa Gomez a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Elisa, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?

I am a full time artist and received my BFA in painting, but about five years ago I started working on murals as well as my fine art. This was in some ways an easy transition as I paint very large scale already, but there were a lot of new things to learn along the way. Each mural I do teaches me something new. Sometimes I am using new equipment like a projector or a boom-lift. Sometimes its about using paint on a difficult surface, or a design that I am less comfortable with, but I always figure it out and always love the end product! I think as an artist, no matter what your medium is, it is important to stay open to new ideas and be ok working outside your comfort zone. It is also important to be ok asking for help or advice. I have reached out to a number of other muralists over the past few years and always get great advice and a lot of support for the work. Asking people who have done what you do is the best way to be prepared.
I have maybe said no to projects outside my comfort zone in the past, and that has stopped me from learning something new in the moment, but I am really open now to all new things and that has taken me really amazing places!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a full time painter from Utah, currently residing in Salt Lake, but about to hit the road for round 2 of van life with my husband and dog! I have a BFA in painting and a Masters in Arts Advocacy. Both these degrees have enables me to not only follow my passion for creating art, but to take it to the community level and support other creatives as well. My paintings are greatly inspired by the outdoors and my deep love for mother nature. My first stint doing van life really opened my eyes to how much nature and the incredible colors and textures found all over the country light me up! I was able to paint on the ground, in the trees, and anywhere I saw fit for a canvas and made some of my favorite work. I like to use my bare hands a lot and find that the physical movement with my hands and large canvas reflect the gestures I am inspired by in an honest and unique way.
This next van adventure will undoubtedly be inspiring again, and this time I will be working on paintings, but also murals throughout the summer. I love the accessibility that public art offers communities and I can not wait to continue making this work a part of my regular practice.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

Sometimes I think I am a professional pivoter! Things happen in almost every project that require a little bit of a pivot. Often times it is on a mural that either something happened where accessibility to the wall has changed since the first visit, so mew equipment is needed, or the weather is going to put the timeline on a whole new track. Sometimes the pivot comes from a client on a commission. Whatever the pivot is, it should be accepted and figured out. Being your own boss and the sole person responsible for the job getting done (paintings, murals, etc) there should always be space to pivot!

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

I sometimes think that people who don’t do creative things professionally forget that for those of us creating work, it is not only our livelihood, it is our passion and it is a part of us. A little part of my is in every single painting, every mural, every drawing, and for me it comes from the most personal space of myself. Making the art is cathartic for most artists, and for some of us sharing it can be hard, but doing anything different isn’t an option. The struggle, the roller coaster, the ups and downs and highs and lows are all immeasurably worth it. The freedom of expression and being a working artist is worth everything, and I don’t know if people who don’t do creative work for a living know the level of passion that goes into making it all run.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.elisagomezart.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elisagomezart/
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ElisaGomezArt