Featured Artist: Elise Wilk

August 9, 2012 | feature artist, submission

Elise Wilk is a French graphic illustrator who submitted her work to Creativation Space. We were quite impressed by the originality of her work which turns out to be an offshoot of her background in theater. While working in theatre in Paris, she decided to study art in Naples and Bruxelles, studying illustration.

“Rebounds”

Elise believes that art is another way of looking at the world, but in a more sensitive way. Her roots in theater manifest themselves in her work, where her physical approach in painting and drawing are a reflection of her background in buto, dance, and improvisation. A distinct feature of her art is the presence of dramatic characters wearing masks grotesque expressions, often appearing in colorful action poses.

She enjoys using ink and watercolors because they are delicate and evanescent while providing strong color to the work. Mixed media and collages lend to the fun and absurdity she likes to portray in her art, and likens it to the childlike discovery of playing with whatever one finds.

“Carry”

The multi-layered appearance of Wilk’s art is a product of her superimposition of different realities. Influenced by surrealist and Dadaist forces, the artist is intrigued by what is readily visible, what is transparent, and what is hidden. Although she doesn’t think about these when creating her images, it is often the result when she combines different materials to create something new.

Elise is interested in design and book illustration for children and adults, as well as producing work for books and publications. Her process begins with quickly drawing images and noting ideas, followed by collecting the necessary documentation (photos, text). She generally uses the materials she creates on paper and then finishes off with the computer where she composes from what she calls a “merry mess.”

Below are her submissions along with her own words.

“NYLA”
Nyla is a little girl living in a bear. I created this image for a personal picture book. It is a poetic ballad inspired by the Inuit and their animism.