Today’s Artsy Fartsy Tuesday artist is Lisa Elley

Palette Knife Art by Lisa Elley

All my paintings are oil on canvas, using only palette & painting knives, with thick application, bold strokes, painterly detail and rich colors. The palette knife gives my art a unique combination of contrast, fluidity, depth, texture and impact. I do not use a brush, as I prefer the way I can mix buttery paints and smear them on my canvas with a flexible metal blade. The amazing thick texture achieved with the knife reflects the light more than a regular brush painting and gives a beautiful sense of movement, with subtle highlights.I am originally from New Zealand, where the beauty of nature is unsurpassed. Although I now live in the USA, the luminescent beauty of my homeland stays with me and I feel it in every stroke. I try to reflect this in my work and invite you to enjoy it as I do.

I am a New Zealander born and bred, and like all Kiwis am deeply, irrevocably connected to my homeland. I have lived in London and New York, met my husband (who is South African) in Thailand in 1999 and now live in Florida with my beautiful daughters who remind me every day with their laughter to appreciate every moment.

I have a Bachelor of Arts from Auckland University and have always loved to draw and paint. However, life work and travel absorbs time, so I didn’t paint much until I was inspired to revisit my creative side in 2007.
After the birth of my children I enrolled myself in an ongoing oil painting class under the tutelage of renowned artist Robert Gross. 

For years I painted still lifes under the watchful eye of my teacher. Then late in 2011 I had an epiphany. I came across a painting rendered entirely with the painting knife, and was immediately transfixed by the sculptural quality of the piece. From that moment on, I found painting with the painting knife to be cathartic, natural and addictive! Sometimes I paint with bold, choppy, impasto (thick) strokes and other times my style can be more detailed and painterly, it depends on my subject matter.

I like to paint nature, particularly trees, as well as cities, buildings and the places I have traveled. If it’s interesting, I simply have to paint it and hopefully you like it. In our modern world of change and uncertainty, it gives me an amazing feeling of satisfaction to create something that people can enjoy. Did I mention I love not cleaning brushes?