Today we’d like to introduce you to Eli Halpin
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I studied fine art at the University of Alaska and was accepted to the Pacific NW College of Art where I quickly dropped out because my family couldn’t afford for me to go to college. I took continuing education at the Portland Community College and continue to take classes every once in a while when I can. I got my start painting full time in Portland Oregon 20 years ago when I decided to rent a warehouse instead of college and started making super tiny oil paintings on pieces of wood I would find in the garbage outside of wood shops.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
If you mean showing up to the art studio even when it’s not fun, staying up super late trying to endlessly finish paintings and taking risks moving into bigger painting spaces, then yes it’s been a smooth road.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I have added a lot of mixed media into my oil paintings, which are usually inspired by animals and the natural world. I have a glass kiln that I fuse dichroic glass to add as embellishments for tree trunk bark or butterfly wings for example. I also love to add pearls, spray paint, gold leaf, lace, pearls, velvet and paper. My favorite items I added recently are some handkerchiefs and crocheted doilies I inherited from my Grandmother. I love texture.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Funny because I had just mentioned risk taking as part of the big picture. Yes! Risks are important. Right now I am moving my art studio into my next giant warehouse, 2400 sq ft. I’m sharing it with my boyfriend, Joel Ganucheau, who is also a full time oil painter. This will be one of the biggest art studios I have ever had, space wise. It’s a great feeling to be able to paint giant paintings when I have the space to do it. I bought a big truck years ago and that was scary too but now I can move the big paintings around. Investing money in things like a big art studio and a big truck. It probably seems like the basics to an outsider but to me these feel like things that I have to bet on myself with when I spend the money on them. I have to put in the work to make it make sense. I have to stay up late and finish paintings consistently. Starting paintings is easy and fun. Finishing them is my biggest challenge. Renting an RV and driving 8 hours into Big Bend to make paintings outside while documenting it all online feels like a risk. Risks can be fun though.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elihalpin.com/
- Instagram: @elihalpin
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EliHalpinOilPaintings/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/elihalpin?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: https://swanfeatherhouse.com/
Image Credits
n/a
