Elle MacLaren
Santa Fe, NM
Haiku for a River
encaustic, native earth, oil, ink, fabric, metal
30" x 24"
2020
$1200
About
Elle MacLaren makes abstract works of art using a wide range of media, which includes both formal art and utilitarian materials. Her work reflects her observations of and her feelings about the colors, light and textures of the natural world and the relationship between humans and their environs. Elle has shown both nationally and internationally in galleries and museums, and has collectors in both commercial and private sectors. Her extensive gallery history includes both solo and group shows. She has been published in Encaustizine (2017), Hyperallergic (2020), and Encaustic Art Magazine (2021). She holds a BFA in drawing and painting from Alma College, in Michigan.
Artist Statement
I am a multimedia artist drawing and painting on a range of surfaces with oil, encaustic, native earth and more. My abstract approach is an exploration into the spirit of objects or phenomenon in the every day world. Much of my work is informed by nature. I paint and draw subjects that invoke a strong response in me. Many images appear to me from memory and I work intuitively with the energy of my subject matter and stay open to whatever is ready to emerge. My process involves layers of medium and I go back and forth working between expansive and quick emotional responses to the subjects and getting up close and personal with details. Mark making becomes an extension of my relation to my subject matter as well as a transference of my physical energy. Thus a finished piece becomes a recording of both an inner and outer perspective. My goal is to have viewers of my work observe, feel, and ultimately absorb this energy. Haiku for a River is informed by the colors, textures and energy of the Rio Grande on a cloudy winter day specifically between Embudo and Velarde
