Liz Evensen Fine Art

Liz Evensen

Crystal Falls, MI - United States

Creating art is a joy for me and leaves me with a tremendous sense of fulfillment. As a child I was given encouragement from my mother as she observed my passion for drawing and painting. When she discovered a paint-by-number craft set, she made sure I had one under the Christmas tree. It wasn't long before I wasn�t satisfied to stay in the lines and begged to be turned loose to paint on my own. I have been doing so ever since. Just the smell of oil paint evokes in me an overwhelming desire to pick up a brush.

Many artists will say they lose all awareness of time once they start painting. Only until their body tells them it's time to quit, do they finally concede. I'm no different. Often, I find myself going to bed as the morning light dawns on the horizon.

Producing a work of art is an adventure. I have an idea where I'm headed, but it's never exactly the same as what I have pictured in my mind. Painting is a journey of learning and discovery just waiting for the outcome to be revealed. Who doesn't love to get to the last page of a novel or the final scene in a movie to find out how it will end? It's just like that for me. When I paint, I just want to get to the finish line.

In 1989 I graduated with honors from Northern Michigan University located in Marquette, Michigan. NMU has a challenging art program with an outstanding faculty. My major area of study was Drawing and Painting with directed studies in printmaking and handmade paper. To mature as an artist I worked as an intern in a local art center, as an art consultant for a nationally recognized gallery and was also a gallery owner. The insight gained from working with so many creative people was an education in itself.

Throughout the years I have entered art competitions and have participated in numerous juried exhibits. In 1992 I had the privilege of being selected for a national art exhibit for The Knickerbocker Artist's/New York annual show. It was held at the historic Salmagundi Club. My submission was an abstract mixed media paintings titled, 'Symphony of Color'.

Much of my work is a merging of various media. I enjoy pastels, oils, printmaking, mixed media and paper constructions. Recently I have embarked into photography. It began as a way to capture images for reference. To my surprise, I really had fun with the process and learned to convert my photos into digital paintings.

Living in the spectacular beauty of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan allows for unlimited inspiration and subject matter, right in my own backyard. To sum it all up, my heart�s desire is that my artwork would be uplifting to the human spirit. There is certainly enough gloom and despair in our world without creating more visually. Thomas Ruskin stated, 'Fine art is that in which the hand, the head, and the heart go together.' My prayer is that my hands remain steady, my eyes clear, my thoughts worthy, and my heart true.

Elizabeth 'Liz' Evensen
Days River Studio 906-542-3379
www.liz-evensen.artistwebsites.com
or www.daysriverstudio.com