Artist Feature - Eleisha Pirouet
Get to know Eleisha, the Fremantle based visual artist and the lady who teaches our Native Painting Workshops!
If you were to describe yourself in 3 words what would they be?
Creative, Passionate, Perfectionist (but we are working on that).
Have you always been creative? What has your creative journey been like?
I have always been creatively inclined, ever since childhood Art has played a monumental role in my personal development and I think I was really lucky to have that creativity nurtured and encouraged by my Mother.
At school I was very detail orientated with a unique ability to turn any brief into an elaborate work of art. Over high school I was a part of a Saturday arts program which gave me access to mentoring and every artistic tool/ medium possible. Through the program I discovered my love of portraiture, oil painting and chalk pastel which continue to be my favourite subject matter and mediums to work with today.
How did your business get started? Tell us a little bit about your business.
I believe my high school Saturday art classes were the most defining point inspiration for my workshops. They gave me the tools to learn new things and set no limits to my creativity. Not only that, I was immersed in a community of creatives routinely coming together to create alongside each other. As an adult I missed this environment, for a long while I let myself get caught up in the day to day necessities that I didn’t make time for my passions, and my mental health struggled because of it. Rekindling my love of art and therefore balancing my mental health awoke a desire to share this with others. I began campaigning at my job at the time to host “paint and sip workshops” as a means of sharing my love of art and its healing qualities.
My workshops recreate paintings of native flora and fauna to encourage mindfulness and connection to place and identity. They are also designed to build fundamental art skills, assisting guests to realise their creative potential, teaching colour theory, layering using transition colours and brush techniques to complete a fully resolved artwork. I try to emphasise it’s not about being good it’s about coming together, relaxing and having fun and trying something new.
Where do you draw your inspiration from?
My workshops draw inspiration from local flora and fauna, exploring connection to place and identity, celebrating the beauty of the Australian landscape. My teaching methods draw inspiration from Fauvists like Henry Matisse for his bold colour blocking and Impressionists like Monet for their way of capturing landscapes with rough brushstrokes.
What is your favourite thing about painting?
The process. If you’ve attended any of my workshops you will hear me say over and over again it’s not about the product, it’s about the process. It’s about the experience of trying something new and loosing yourself in the cathartic act of painting.
I’m still working on abandoning perfectionism within my own art. But I’m learning that the actual “learning” part of painting is the most valuable experience and there is never a point that we will stop learning, or feel like we know everything there is to know. We will always be refining our skills, message, composition and style and that’s the best part of the artistic process and what shapes us as artists. I’m excited to see where my art style will go.
We believe connection within our community is so important, how do feel about this and what role does it play in your practice?
Connection and community are everything, coming together to create is the foundation of my workshops and giving back to people what art gave to me is what started it all.
I used to struggle with severe social anxiety, through my workshops I have been able to meet so many people, it’s really beautiful to feel a part of a bigger picture. My workshops have never been about building a “paint and sip” empire, it’s always been focused on sharing, enriching lives by encouraging creativity locally.
What are some ethical or conscious actions you do in your daily life?
I honour the land and privilege I have to celebrate it by recognising the Whadjuk people as the traditional land owners of Fremantle at the start of every workshop.
I also try to be a mindful consumer. Make informed, sustainably driven decisions to limit waste and my imprint on the environment. Whether that be by putting in a little more effort to wash reusable materials within my workshops or sourcing clothes second hand to fight back against the fashion industry’s contribution to landfill and excess water consumption.
4 years ago, I committed to a vegetarian diet for ethical and environmental reasons. I try to limit my consumption of plastic wrapped foods by opting out, buying in bulk, and cooking at home. For me it’s allot of small mindful decisions applied consistently that I believe help me live an ethical/ environmentally friendly life.
Native Painting Workshops!
Book yourself into our next workshop. Click here
All photos by Open Hands Creative (Morgan Schaafsma) or Eleisha Pirouet