Elizabeth Reed Artists’ Statement
“Realize that everything connects to everything else,” Leonardo da Vinci.
My paintings and drawings capture the spirit of people and places. I work from life to experience the momentary gesture of light. I want you to be present in my landscapes and know the person in my portraits.
I am particularly interested in the passing of time. My recent paintings are impressions of sunrise and sunset. I paint on the Everglades and Atlantic Ocean. Painting plein air reinforces how insignificant I am compared to nature. I am lucky to light changes every second.
People are like color. Our experiences are relative to who we are and where we come from. Mixing diverse cultures is like making neutrals from complementary (opposite) colors. Placing saturated color next to it’s complementary neutral grabs your full attention. Understanding individual cultural heritage in a sea of diversity does too.
South Florida is unique. A pattern of international culture built on a fragile ecosystem. We sculpted this landscape. The water, weather, and way of life attract people from all over the globe. These people and this place are my color palette.
