My name is Elise Mahan and I am an artist and an educator. My paintings and my process have evolved from my research of astronomy, natural history, art history, the environment and my work with children. Each painting is a chance to draw upon ethereal and surreal elements that utilize and explore repetition, geometry, texture and pattern. I create my paintings using a range of materials such as gouache, watercolor, ink, pencil, graphite, metallic pigments, and collage elements. I am interested in the way that visual art has allowed me to examine connections between natural history and symbolism and how they relate to one another within art and within our society.
