LAURA BROPHY X KENNEDY CONTEMPORARY COLLECTION FEATURING ARTIST ELYSE KATZ
PRESENTING ARTIST ELYSE KATZ.
I’m so excited to partner with local Newport Beach art gallery, Kennedy Contemporary, to feature a curated collection by artist Elyse Katz.
The limited edition collection features the works of local artist Elyse Katz, whose layered paintings epitomize the California lifestyle: natural, grounded, and magnetic. Beginning each painting without expectation of outcome, Elyse layers acrylic paint, oil pastels and found materials - vintage text and typography - until the final story “speaks.” Her compositions express a juxtaposition of contrasts: defined-versus-blurred edges or bold, opaque color fields abutting transparent color washes.
Great art tends to evoke emotions such as love and curiosity, as well as others. The moment I saw the Elyse Katz pieces in Kennedy Contemporary, I was absolutely obsessed, and I knew I had to have her pieces in my home. I had the opportunity to meet Elyse a few months later, and I was so impressed by her dedication to her craft, and the creativity and thoughtfulness she puts into each of her creations. My biggest "professional" wish for Elyse is that as many people as possible are able to view her pieces in person - photographs of her work simply do not do them justice. She is an incredibly talented artist and I am thrilled to have had the opportunity to collaborate with her on this collection.
We sat down with Elyse to learn more about her process and the inspiration for of the works in this collection - check it out below!
A Quiet Time
Right after my first solo exhibition, I felt exhausted. The prior months had been nonstop activity - painting, marketing, installing, over and over again. When it was all over (and many of the works had sold!), I began to seek a quiet and subdued peace in my practice. This translated, quite literally, into a very neutral palette cleanser after months of bursting colors. — Elyse Katz
Acrylic, Mixed Media, and Cold Wax on Panel
Dimensions: H: 24” x W: 30”
Portals
I have such a fascination with grids. Many of my works begin with a grid, however this one has quite a convoluted history. Last summer, I decided I would paint a yellow painting. It was one of those paintings that you're happy with as you leave the studio, and later shocked that you thought it was any good - I hated it the next morning! In a fury, I painted over it, yet was still not happy with the result. Then I tried another repaint - again and again - six iterations later and it still didn't feel right. Months later, I revisited the panel and decided to use my dislike as an advantage. In a stroke of boldness, I outlined a grid of sixteen circles. Everything suddenly clicked. And the best part, was that you can still see the underpainting within each circle - the grid had just brought it to life! — Elyse Katz
Acrylic, Mixed Media, and Cold Wax on Panel
Dimensions: H: 40” x W: 40”
Whimsical Series
In my studio, I often keep a lot of small panels. They're perfect for experimenting with new ideas or mediums. For the "Whimsical" series, I created playful ink drawings on Chinese rice paper and collaged the paper with paint, adhering it to the wood panel. These minimalist, yet playful, compositions brought me such joy! I enjoy seeing where experiments leads and often feel relaxed and when there's little no expectation of outcome. — Elyse Katz
Acrylic, Mixed Media, and Cold Wax on Panel
Dimensions: H: 12” x W: 12” each
EXPLORE THE ENTIRE COLLECTION HERE.
Carefully curated by Laura Brophy, this selection of sixteen works is on view at Kennedy Contemporary from September 16th to October 9th.
