Artist of the Month

Elaine Coombs

The work of artist Elaine Coombs is derived from a fascination with the rhythms, colors and patterns of the natural world.   Local and national forest environments inform and inspire her acrylic paintings.  Luscious studies of light laden trees depicted by thousands of dots of color create a pixilated surface that blurs the line between the abstract and representational painting genres.

TAL: How and when did you start creating art?

EC : I started creating art at about age 12; I used to sit in my room for hours upon hours just drawing.  Then I was lucky enough to have parents that enrolled me in a semi-private art class with a local painter.  A neighbor of mine was already going there for lessons and my parents had seen that it was something I might be good at.  This is when I started oil painting, around age 14 I think.

TAL: What media and genres do you work in?

EC : I work primarily in acrylic on canvas or paper.  My paintings are contemporary landscapes focusing specifically on trees and forests.  I sometimes do drawings in either graphite or colored pencil when my subject requires more detail.

TAL: Who or what are your influences?

EC : I am deeply influenced by the beauty of the natural world and the forest environment.  There is a wonderful peace that comes over me while walking or hiking in these places.  I try to convey that feeling of peace in my paintings.  There are a few painters that I have always loved who inspire me also:  Chuck Close, Wayne Thiebaud, and Joan Mitchell. 

TAL: What was your inspiration for ""?

EC : "The Move Towards Center" - This particular painting and the whole series actually was inspired by Muir Woods National Monument in Marin County, California.  An old growth coast redwood forest, Muir Woods is a sight to be seen for any nature lover.  I have taken photos there many times, but on a particular morning in the winter of 2008, my husband and I got to the forest by about 7am in the hope of getting some sunrise shots.  It was very cold, damp and dark, and due to the sheltering effect of the tall trees, I wasn’t able to shoot any pictures for about an hour.  Then when the first shards of light pierced the darkness, the glow that surrounded the trunks was absolutely amazing and made the environment seem even more monumental than usual.  I continued to snap pictures for another hour until the sun had fully come up and lighted the area.  When I printed the photos and took them into the studio, I knew I had a wonderful series on my hands, and couldn’t wait to get started.  This was my first larger scale series, 5 x 5 ft, 5 x 6 ft., 6 x 10 ft.  They just really needed to be painted large.

TAL: Describe your creative process.

EC : I seek out unique forest environments that will provide inspiration for a new series.  These can be local, regional or beyond.  I go hiking to the area with my digital camera, usually at sunrise, sometimes closer to sunset.  I prefer these times although I have taken pictures around mid-day also.  I take many snapshots of anything I find interesting and unique to me.  Usually it is a color palette or a composition that stands out as being different or eye-catching.  When I get home, I will print out maybe 10% of these photos to use as references for my paintings.  In my studio I decide on the scale and layout of the painting from these original photos.  I always know when a picture I have taken needs to be a painting - it stands out from the rest.

TAL: What are you working on currently?

EC : I am currently working on some smaller scale paintings and works on paper for a landscape show to which I was invited to participate.  It will be in Seattle at Davidson Galleries, August 5-28th.

TAL: What are your near/long term goals as an artist?

EC : I would like to exhibit internationally - London, Paris, Berlin - so many places.  I would also like to travel more often to do the photographic research for my paintings.  A long term goal would be a museum show or retrospective.

TAL: Where can people view/purchase your work?

EC : My website is www.elainecoombs.com .  My work is available at several galleries; in the Bay Area at Robert Allen Fine Art (http://www.robertallenfineart.com );  in New York at Kathryn Markel Fine Arts (http://www.markelfinearts.com ); in San Diego at Susan Street Fine Art (http://www.susanstreetfineart.com ); and in the Nevada City/Lake Tahoe area at Julie Baker Fine Art (http://www.juliebakerfineart.com ).

TAL: Additional Information:

EC :

1. The move towards center, 2009, acrylic on canvas over panel
2. Bliss is this, 2009, acrylic on canvas
3. In contrast to what came before (diptych), acrylic on canvas over panel
4. Tree of life, acrylic on canvas over panel
5. Upward and within, 2009, acrylic on canvas over panel
6. Witness to abundance, acrylic on canvas over panel

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