We recently connected with Elise Morris and have shared our conversation below.
Elise, appreciate you joining us today. Do you wish you had started sooner?
So far the timing on being able to prioritize time in my studio has been a steady pattern of growth. I strongly believe creative careers begin with a day job – something that provides a paycheck and benefits – and also having a place to be creative. Its truly impossible to create artwork while worrying about meeting basic needs. When I first graduated college, and then from my MFA program, I has some interesting jobs in publishing, design and real estate that helped me grow as a person. I was painting in my studio after work and on the weekends. I was of course thinking about my work all the time, so when I was in my studio I was inspired and excited to get work done. When my job needed me to scale back in the office, I was perfectly poised to work more and more in my studio, until I could leave my job and paint full time. From there, successes built on one another, and I was able to develop my work, establishing relationships with galleries. It takes time for all of this to fall into place – so yes, I would have loved to be painting full time sooner, but I’m grateful for all the ups and downs that have brought me to where I am today.
Elise, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a full time artist, creating richly layered oil paintings as well as mixed media water-based pieces on paper. I begin each piece with a line drawing from an observationin nature. From there, I layer paint until almost abstracted, more like a memory of a place than the place itself. I love paint and color, and the process of layering translucent color fascinates me. I am still surprised by certain color combinations, and how some colors change completely when in the company of their opposites. The galleries that represent me often find that my work fits many different aesthetics – from traditional homes to very modern or even minimal settings. This versatility comes from working hard to create paintings that are rich in surface quality and a place of solace. I strive to create space within each painting – I want the viewer to be engaged when looking at the work both at a distance and up close. They are different experiences – just like in nature.
In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?
I’ve recently become super interested in public art. I have a goal to see as many public art murals as possible in my daily life with my family. I’m keenly aware at how much a single mural can activate a whole city block – even a small artwork seems to make a place feel friendly and cared for. I’ve known this about living with art – that having original art in my home brings so much depth and character. I didn’t pay attention to how public art does this at a much larger scale, and creates an overall sense of belonging. I now look for murals wherever I go, and I’m finding so many to research and enjoy. I’m currently working to bring more opportunities to the town I live in, hoping the local government will join in this growing trend.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
During the pandemic, some of my galleries simply shut their doors, and others took a much more proactive approach, encouraging me to create smaller works, do virtual studio tours and connect with collectors in new ways. I was blown away by the support they provided. I became inspired to try new ways of working that continue to feed my studio practice. It’s often challenging to take time from making work to experiment and try new media or methods of working. Even changing the type of paper or canvas can feel daunting. I was suddenly in a position to create work at a smaller scale, and I took on new photography projects and made my own ink from natural pigments. I now look back on that time as productive and fulfilling.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elisemorris.net
- Instagram: @elisemorrispaint
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elisemorrispaint/
Image Credits
all photography by me