Meet Elise Lyon | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elise Lyon and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elise, what led you to pursuing a creative path professionally?
Being an artist has always lived inside of me. I can’t say I chose this path as much as this path chose me. As long as I can remember, everything has always felt like an art form; from the way my mother and I baked cookies in the kitchen to the balance my father taught me to embrace while riding my bicycle. I was creating. I fell in love with the idea of being able to understand a perspective that occupied space within me and giving it life.

The first memory I have of creating is of a performance I would do from the original Peter Pan. In my mind I was in this lush, magical, far away place. I would build costumes and paint pictures in my head wondering where I could go next. It was real. I believe it was in those moments I realized that I had the ability to share this curiosity. As I grew older this became my voice.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My work is concentrated on the power of communal energy and how in today’s world it is a lost language. I enjoy reflecting stories of those closest to me while studying our connection and its effects. The passage of time is chaotic but within it is beauty. This is also a great inspiration to me. I believe we are being forced to return to our roots to rediscover and rely on tradition and one another to rebuild. All of this connects me to our human network of evolution.

My process begins with either reliving a specific moment in time where I observed an important life lesson or by telling the story of someone close to me who has made a meaningful impact on my life.

The root of my inspiration comes from my family’s values and how we cherish bonds, connections and tradition. This has fueled my work over the years by keeping me grounded through celebration and appreciation of my relationships.

I developed a powerful connection to nature and her lively textures as a young child through the many stories my mother and grandparents told about their life in Papua New Guinea. This led me to a curious admiration for the nature of Wabi-Sabi and how the passage of time is sacred to the human experience.

With a background of 11 years in the fashion industry I have been led to use mulberry, nylon, and cotton fibers at the base of my canvas to build an organic home for my work to live. I also enjoy using acrylic, natural pigments, gold foil and embroidery. Most of my techniques stem from my knowledge of textile design and how the combination of fibers can create a stimulating and transformative visual experience.

The journey to become an artist has been a life long one. Life is definitely not something I would define as easy but undoubtedly magnificent. It is a direction not a destination and I am grateful for each lesson I have learned. Something that I continue to apply to my work is knowing that I am in control. My world is what I make it. My success is what I make it. I continue to remind myself to embrace the present by way of the past. Turn my routines into rituals and stay mindful of myself. It creates opportunities to experience quiet, to feel honestly and to look inward in a world that is begging us to look everywhere else. Inviting our loved ones into our rituals fuels bonds and forges connections. It also reminds us why we are doing the work in the first place. This work is important to me. I have learned to do it with a pure heart and in that case, I will always succeed.

Most recently, I have become an artist within the Buckhead Art & Company family. You can now view my work on the walls of this wonderful space. I am thrilled to join such an incredible group of artists. Sharing this space with them has given my work a new energy and I am excited to see what this time spent with them will do for me professionally.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Since I am always back and forth between Atlanta and New York City, my favorite place to go in Atlanta is Lauren Smith’s house (insert laughing.) I know how silly that could sound being in this incredibly diverse and creative city however, this is where all the best things happen for me. The best day starts and ends here. Every memory I have of my time In Atlanta has had something to do with that space. For anyone visiting, I suggest you grab some cocktails at Ponce City Market, take an incredibly fast and hilarious ride down the giant slide, play a few games which without fail will lead to a few photo booth pictures, share a ton of laughs and attempt to find your way back to your “Lauren’s house.”

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The first person I need to thank is my mother. She has supplied roots for me in every place I have ever wanted to go – creatively, physically, spiritually and emotionally. She has known every person I have ever been and loved me regardless. She is my advocate, my best friend and devoted fan.

Second would be my father. Although I am unable to share my successes as an adult with him, his spirit lives in life’s magic. He taught me the secret of life and that if I believe it will happen, surrender and embrace the outcome, it will be. His creative essence fed my curiosity.

Third is my partner, Khalil Kain. He has always seen my potential as a creative and never fails to remind me. He has pushed me to the outer most edge of my imagination and shown me how to let go of fear and embrace possibility.

Last but not least would be two very dear friends of mine. Courtney Buchanan and Lauren Smith. These two are a constant reminder that family isn’t always blood. Their love and encouragement has unlocked a part of my spirit and set it free. They allow me to be myself. They allow me to grow. They allow me to make mistakes and are always there to help me clean up the mess. Its a beautiful thing to be human but its even more beautiful when you find the right people to be human with and I am so thankful I found them in this lifetime.

Website: eliselyonart.com

Instagram: @eliselyon_art

Facebook: @eliselyonart