There are some artists who have found their specialty and mastered it, like a watercolor landscape painter, or an oil portraiture artist. They’ve found their singular calling. Then there are others who seem to be artists in nearly every aspect of their lives. Chad Elliott, of Lamoni IA, comes across as one of the latter. A singer, songwriter, AND visual artist, Elliott has a variety of ways to express his creativity.
“Art is a diverse and powerful form of communication,” says Elliott. “Each artist chooses how to interact with their audience.” His acrylic paintings are a distinctive expressionist-illustrative style, with many featuring scenes deep in nature. The first time I saw Elliott’s artwork was at a gallery exhibition of his “Wilderman” series at Arts on Grand (an art gallery in Spencer IA) and I was captivated by the way he uses so many different layers and colors to create a whole image. His blue skies have orange and yellow in them, and his orange buildings are touched by green and brown, giving his paintings a depth I dream about someday having in my own artwork. “Through emotion, concept, experience, or questioning, the artist's role is to express something and hopefully interact with the viewer in some way,” he said.
"Sunrise at Cardinal Creek"
It’s a bit surprising, but while Elliott was in university he focused on 3-dimensional instead of painting or drawing (although he was studying those too.) He attended an early college program at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and earned his Bachelor’s degree in Studio Art (Sculpture) at Graceland University in Lamoni IA. He began graduate school for Ceramics at University of Montana, but dropped out of the program to pursue his musical career.
“Diversification is key to making a living as an artist,” he said. “Lose the idea of preciousness and share your process with people. I think young artists get stuck into thinking the art world is separate from themselves...but in actuality, the art world is what each of us make it. Embrace your voice and keep challenging yourself to learn new ways of expression.”
It’s easy to see the influences of artists he admires: Edward Hopper, Marc Chagall, Gustav Klimt, and Vincent Van Gogh (to name a few).
"Love in the Time of Corona"I asked Elliott what his favorite tool was for making art, and while I expected him to say the “Wildervan” (a van he remodeled for traveling from show to show) instead he said it was his portable studio in a suitcase, pictured below.
My paint water jar looks just like this!
Another shocker, for me at least, was when I asked Elliott what an issue is that he’s faced and he admitted to disliking the process of traditional gallery shows! “I also am not a fan of artist markets,” he admitted. “...Which makes it a challenge to find an outlet for my art. I am fortunate to have a music career which connects me with venues to share my artwork with my music.”
Caution: artist at work!
Elliott’s next project is a small mural on a wood panel for a music venue, which I can’t wait to see! He regularly posts videos and pictures of his in-progress and finished artwork on social media (links below.) He said his current favorite piece is his new nature scene with bluebirds in acrylic washes and textures.
"Flora Song"“I would just add that in all the many explorations and creative endeavors throughout my life, my job is to find inspiration,” Elliott said. “That is my career. Seeking ways to stay inspired...and finally, to inspire others.” You can find inspiration in Elliott’s music and artwork online on Instagram or on Facebook (here for his music, here for his artwork), or on his websites:
www.chadelliott.net or
www.elliottartstudio.com.
Who is that dork with Chad Elliott?
No comments:
Post a Comment