Elsha Leventis
Since graduating from the Painting and Drawing program at the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2002, I have concentrated on expanding a body of work that evolved from my fascination with eyes. An incorrigible doodler of eyes since childhood, I decided to explore eye imagery for my thesis, and was encouraged by my wise advisors at OCAD to explore abstraction and new materials and processes rather than stick with realistic (and boring) renditions of eyes. With just weeks to deadline, I took a giant leap onto Mylar and have never looked back.
Inspired by the intricate landscape of the iris and effects of light both on and as seen through the eye, my work is influenced by fractal imagery, iridology, cell biology, iris recognition technology and mandalas, and informed by Francesco Clemente, Ross Bleckner, Georgia O’Keeffe, Ken Noland and Jasper Johns.
Using a very limited palette, often ultramarine blue and burnt sienna, which produce rich greys, blues and blacks, I work playfully wet into wet, laying down thin washes of oils diluted with medium on Mylar. Negative space is as important as positive space as I play back and forth to find pleasing but simple compositions. I then drop in and subtract paint to capture light effects such as spots and rays. Initially, I impose control but must soon come to terms with letting go as the paint takes on a life of its own. As the work unfolds, there are interesting and unexpected results, and “mistakes” often lead to exciting new discoveries in technique or process. Lately, I have been exploring a new series based on traffic, using similar processes in oils on canvas.
My paintings have appeared at Toronto Art Expo, the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, the Interior Design Show and other venues, as well as in Style at Home and Canadian House and Home. My work is represented by Canvas Gallery and RedEye Gallery in Toronto, In2Art in Oakville and David Boyes Home Concepts in Waterloo.
WEBSITE
www.elshaleventis.com
eleventis@rogers.com
Big Blue Eye
Black Eye l
Brooding Eye
Denim Eye
Obstructed View
Looking Within
Eyeing Milne
Soft Focus ll
Squinting 1
Seeing Red
Heading For The Cottage
Midnight From The Bloor Viaduct (North)
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