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

Lizzie, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?

I have vivid memories of conversations with classmates who, from an early age, had very clear ideas of what they wanted to be when they grew up. As someone who didn’t have the faintest idea of what I would do with my life, I found their convictions to be dumbfounding. My parents did their best to expose my brother and I to culture and the arts by signing us up for all sorts of extracurricular activities. Throughout grade school I developed into quite the piano-playing ballerina/fashion model, and while I did pick up those skills, I never really developed a passion for any of these activities. I later tried my hand at playing the trumpet, sticking with it for a few years, but that experience yielded similar results when I realized I would be heading into a summer of marching band practice under the hot, Florida sun; I dropped band and landed in an art class instead. It was there that I realized I had a facility for artmaking. As luck would have it the art teacher for that introductory class, Mrs. Falagan, was also the school’s advanced art teacher at the time and she quickly took me under her wing. I fed this new infatuation with art by going on to take every class she offered throughout those four years of high school, including becoming her student aide for certain periods. As her aide I was able to witness the ins- and outs of being a high school art teacher and quickly decided I wanted to pursue this same path. I still consider her a great friend and mentor and am forever grateful the universe plopped me in her class that year.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

As a plein air landscape painter, I am inspired by the magnificence and diversity of natural and built environments. Working outdoors allows me to immerse myself in my surroundings, capturing the essence of a moment with immediacy and spontaneity. I am fascinated by the process of translating experiences and observations onto a two-dimensional surface, capturing the play of light and shadow, the texture of foliage, and the movement of clouds with bold and expressive brushstrokes.

My pieces embody a quiet, meditative quality. The act of immersing myself in these surroundings allows for attunement to the colors and rhythms of the environment. This sense of serenity permeates my work, inviting viewers to pause and contemplate the tranquility of the moments depicted. Through the interplay of light, color, and texture, each painting becomes a window into a moment of stillness, inviting reflection and connection with the work.

Ultimately, my goal as a plein air painter is to create works that invite viewers to experience their world in a new and meaningful way. Whether it’s a familiar scene or a distant vista, I hope my paintings inspire a sense of connection and appreciation for the spaces we inhabit.

I haven’t always worked en plein air. For much of my adult life I have worked as a high school art teacher, finding fulfillment in guiding and inspiring the next generation of artists. A few years ago, a new colleague helped me reignite my passion for artmaking by inviting me to join him for a few plein air outings. This reawakening of my artistic spirit led me to become far more productive than ever before and establish Liz Hunter Studio, Inc. Since then I have participated in a growing number of art festivals and exhibitions throughout South Florida.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

I am a firm believer in “art” being the active process one goes through when creating something. Those series of actions, observations, decisions that lead up to the final product… that’s the art. The work is merely a by-product of the artmaking experience. I find this creative zone, the one where time is of no consequence, and all that exists is the monologue in one’s head, to be the most rewarding aspect of making art. There’s a sort of meditative state that comes with this artmaking zone; I like to describe it as feeding and refueling the soul.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

I am genuinely energized and excited by the immediacy of working En Plein Air, and I feel this comes through in my work. The portable nature of this practice makes the production of each piece feel like an adventure of sorts. This practice has reinforced my desire to travel and capture the essence of “place” in new and exciting ways.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lizhunterstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lizhunterstudio/

Image Credits
Ray Lopez took my headshot and the photo of my easel with the vertical cafe/bistro painting