Pastel artist Elise Okrend says we often think of pastel colors as soft and delicate, but adds, “the medium is anything but!” She explains, “My palette runs the range of what we find in nature, from soothing soft neutrals of grasses to vibrant sunsets and sunrises.” This month, you’ll have two opportunities to view Elise’s paintings, which invite viewers to experience a sense of peace and calm.
Through May 31, Pastels in Nature will be on display at Chestnut, 48 Biltmore Avenue in downtown Asheville. Eight pieces hanging on the walls of the restaurant capture the soothing aspects of regional mountains, lakes, and sacred places. Each work is accompanied by a story. “Heron Hideaway,” for instance, was created after Elise walked onto the deck of a friend’s house in Oak Island, North Carolina, one warm morning. “It was so humid that my camera lens fogged up capturing a beautiful hazy scene. From the photograph, I painted this piece in my studio, adding the herons that usually fly overhead.” From
May 9 through September 4, Reimagined, another exhibit of Elise’s works, will be on display in the gallery at the Asheville Regional Airport. All pieces in both shows are originals and available for purchase.
For more on the artist, visit eliseokrend.com.
