We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Elizabeth Adamcik-Davis. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Elizabeth below.

Hi Elizabeth, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

After my two grown children had left home to pursue their own paths, and my interior fabrics and design store closed, I knew that eventually I would return to one of my first creative loves, painting. I had begun in college, learning the basics of drawing and painting, and practicing on large canvases that I’d learned to stretch myself, even making the frames for them. Sunrises and sunsets were my favorites to create with acrylic color wash. I do still have one of my first abstract paintings that hangs on one of my walls today, after being stored in my parents’ attic for about 30 years.

In 2022 I decided to try my hand at watercolor again, a medium I said I’d “never use”; It seemed too out-of-control for me. But I decided to try again anyway, painting funny cats and dogs, birds, simple flowers, and butterflies. It turns out that for the first time in a long time I had fun creating with paint. I continued practicing and sharing the fun little creations I’d come up with. One night in 2023 I asked the Lord to help me see and understand detail the way other artists did. Over the course of a few weeks I began to understand painting techniques and color variations that I didn’t before. In just a short time what was coming out of the watercolor was amazing me. I learned that allowing the water to take the paint and spread wherever it would, then accenting on it, was one of the main keys to creating the finished work. It’s as though the Lord would sit and paint alongside me. That is when I knew for sure that I wanted to pursue art full time.

The more I paint, the more I learn and have fun. It’s become refreshing for me to simply sit and create, taking my mind off of the negative thoughts and pressures of life and onto the blessings and beauty of it. It truly is what God put in my hands to do, for so many reasons. I may add other creative genres to my studio along the way, but most likely will not ever put down the paintbrush again. I see it as a powerful avenue to inspire and help heal hearts in ways only God can see and do.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Being a “Creative” started way back as a young child, as most creatives would say, I suppose. Daydreaming in class about clothing design as a teenager was something I did most days. I taught myself to sew when I was 17 because I was determined to make a jumpsuit from a Vogue pattern, which was much more advanced than most. My mother strongly suggested I not begin on such a pattern, but I was determined to try anyway. Instead, through many tearful nights after school, of trial and error, I finally finished. I thoroughly enjoyed wearing it, and never stopped sewing. I continued sewing in college, learning better technique and flat pattern design in the Home Economics Department. I also took a job with a local costume company. There I learned even more sewing skills from my employer and a woman who had worked there many years.

Besides sewing, I wrote poetry throughout high school and college, something I still do today occasionally. Drawing and painting classes in college were other avenues of learning for me.

Though painting mostly stopped after college, during my early marriage and motherhood years, sewing didn’t. I had a small business sewing baby clothes for a Maternity/Baby store, and household items such as custom draperies, bedding and throw pillows for individuals, as well as various clothing alterations.

When my children were in junior high and high school I opened an interior fabrics store with a friend who was a floral designer, putting our two businesses together. Soon we outgrew the store space, so I moved my business to another storefront. I continued in custom drapery and bedding design, contracting a local sewing business to make and install them for my customers. The shop was also a hub for a fiber art group who met there once a month to create different projects.
Eventually I moved the drapery and bedding design and special order interior fabric sales to my home until its closing, after 10 years of operation. I learned so many wonderful things through owning and running it. And the new friendships I made through it are still an enrichment to my life.

During the year after the business closed, I picked up my paintbrush in acrylics again, pleased to see I hadn’t lost it completely. I honestly did not know what to do with it besides personal enjoyment. I just continued to practice, as well as taking some writing classes at a junior college and taking on a greeting card merchandising job, which kept my love of art and people near, praying and wondering what my next steps with art would be.

All of the different happenings in my life through those years have helped me focus on what I love to do most; paint, write, and pray. I have had many opportunities through the freedom of art to listen to the heart of God and people, and to pray about whatever comes to mind, even while I paint. It has been an incredible experience. My artistic ability and understanding has increased along the way, though I have so much more to learn. When there is a piece I don’t particularly like, I set it aside for a few days, then go back to it. I heard another artist I was learning from once say, “When you don’t like a piece, it simply means it’s not finished.” I’ve thought of that often, and it’s saved many pieces from my trash can. I’ve learned to trust the process of watching and listening for the Spirit of Jesus, and allowing Him to help me paint, write, sew, and draw. As a result, I’ve become freer in all of those artistic mediums and to try others. Fear and intimidation do not have the hold they used to have on me. I can think clearer and experience more joy in my creativity. I am very thankful.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

To inspire and shine the Light of joy and healing on hearts that respond to my art.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

-Being able to do art freely everyday, expressing what I see in my mind, and believing that “there’s something for everyone”, no matter if the artwork is one I especially like or not. Knowing that boosts my drive to continue when Im having a “blah” day of low confidence or motivation. I realize that different experiences move people at specific times in their lives, helping heal their hearts from whatever trauma they have experienced. We don’t know each other’s hearts like God does. So it’s fun and encouraging to me to know that He uses my art sometimes to shine healing into someone’s heart simply by viewing one of the pieces He has inspired me to create.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://katartizo-art.myshopify.com
• Instagram: katartizo.art

Image Credits

Kendralyn Design Co.