Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Decker.
Elizabeth, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I’m not sure my story is unique but I can say I have accumulated a lot of stories that make up who I am today. It’s interesting, I’ve been thinking a lot about personal story lately and I what I want to share rather than what I feel I need to share to define who I am. I began telling my story as a writer, first to myself and then to the public. Only within the last 20 years have I begun telling my story visually through art and like myself, it’s been a work in progress!
I should mention, My personal growth experience led me to develop a program, Create Your Story, where I help guide and encourage people to tell their story, without judgment or expectations, using writing and art as tools. The majority of my audience has been women until the last two years where I received several grants to bring my work to Veterans. Personally, this has been an amazing experience that far exceeded any expectations I might have had–mainly, big strong X-Military guys aren’t going to like this, but they do and it’s been incredible to be a part of this community.
Art, like writing, is a way to communicate with what’s going on in my head. It’s an organic process, created at the moment and once I have worked it out emotionally, I’m done and move on.
I recently completed a series of three large paintings examining my personal transition from “clutter” to “space.” The titles, in order of creation are: I can’t wait until the end of this story; When you need some room, you need the room; and finally, Can you leave your bag outside the door? Please.
My thought is this: Do we need to walk into every relationship, every situation with our entire story or can we just show up completely at the moment as the person we present today?
My art is my story and a direct reflection of who I am. I don’t know how to do it any other way.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
As I mentioned, art is my way of communicating my story, as I am experiencing it at the moment. I’m affected and inspired by my relationship with myself, my personal relationship with others and my relationship with the external world, which can be abstract.
I’m a painter and I work mostly with acrylic on canvas and the work has gotten kind of big over the years but the difference is, right now anyway, I don’t feel like I need to take up all the room–Paint from corner to corner. I like leaving the space in-between.
I create abstract faces and figures, hardly ever anything else and my intention is never to do this. It’s just something that appears and the evolution of the paintings has been kind of fascinating to me. Let’s say 10-15 years ago, they were hard, crude, layered and scraped and now they are lighter, both in color and mood almost communicating a sly sense of humor.
You ask HOW I create and that’s a good question. I usually paint when I’m facing a conflict of some sort and am moved emotionally and have no other outlet to work through it other than paint. I wish I could say I paint every day but I’m not that disciplined. That being said, the world has thrown me a lot to work with these days so I’ve been very prolific!
I work in my home. I roll the canvas on the floor (72 x 72) and begin one stroke at a time and see where it takes me. I sometimes have an idea of what I want to paint but I’ve learned to let that go because it never materializes the way I envision it in my head, so I just let it speak to me.
As I’ve mentioned, my work is about communication, first with myself and then letting it go to see if it inspires a conversation with other people. Then our stories become connected. WE become connected. If it can do that,
I’m pleased.
Artists face many challenges, but what do you feel is the most pressing among them?
I think that’s an individual challenge, so I can’t speak for artists today. For me, it’s staying true to myself, knowing I’m enough. Keep working. Don’t get caught up in the expectation of what it all means. Just create.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have a home gallery so anyone visiting Austin can make an appointment and I’ll walk you through the work, share my story and hope you will share yours.
I have a few things coming up…
I’m part of a group show during the East Austin Studio Tour 2018, curated by Moya McIntyre titled Femme Abstract. I encourage you to come as there will be a lot of incredibly talented female artists presenting their work.
I’m a participating artist in CASA LA’s Annual Wine & Art Gala in Los Angeles, November 3rd and will be one of 60 American Artists showing in Rome, Italy on December 15-Jan. 15, curated by Alfio Borghese.
I have a website & Instagram account.
www.elizabethdeckerproductions.blogspot.com
Instagram@elidecker
Contact Info:
- Address: Elizabeth Decker
Ocean House Studio Gallery
Austin, TX 78704 - Website: www.elizabethdeckerproductions.blogspot.com
- Phone: 310.422.8234
- Email: eliart15@msn.com
- Instagram: Instagram@elidecker
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