Tell me about your favorite medium, how are you able to express yourself or your ideas through it?
EL: The main ingredients in oil paint is linseed oil and pigments which are derived from nature. I am using citrus brush cleaner instead of mineral spirits because those are not as harsh on the environment. I also like the fact that oil paint takes longer to dry and therefore works better with my workflow. I also love the feel of working with oil.
What is one thing in your studio/practice that is vital to your process?
EL: I always get my house chores, paperwork a.s.o. out of the way first. I like to start working in my studio when my house is neat and I have no distractions around me or in my head. I always listen to music when I create. I listen to a broad variety of music. From Classical to Jazz to Pop, Bossa Nova, French Chansons and even R&B, depending on the mood that I am in at that moment.
What inspires you to create the most?
EL: It could be anything including my morning walks, music, documentaries and anything that comes to me during my everyday life and travels. If you are observing, inspiration comes to you endlessly.
How do you deal with creative blocks?
EL: I walk away from my work. Sometimes put that piece out of sight for days, weeks or months and come back to it later and try again. After a while I might find a way to paint over it and sometimes you actually like what I walked away from in the first place.
Why do you think art (in general or yours specifically) is important to society today?
EL: Art moves the soul. Art can say what words cannot. Through art you can share things that you have a hard time delivering to others in words. But if you let art speak for itself, the viewer can find something that the creator did not even think of when he, she, or they created the piece. We as people need so much more than the air that we breathe and the food and drink to nourish our bodies and “exist”.
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