Settling Into My New Hometown and Studio

I have no idea what to expect, my first open studio in my new hometown, the north coast town of Astoria… The herculean Winter marathon of settling into my new studio has ended just in time for Summer. In the infancy of creating in a new space, it feels good. My groove, rituals and daily structures are all falling into place. Not counting the many breakfast nooks of Northwest Portland apartments in my formative years and the significant creative development that took place in Studio 211 where Mark Rothko attended elementary school, this is technically my fourth working studio. My first, 1993-1996 was in a storefront…

Elise Wagner 6/15/23 Elise Wagner 6/15/23

Postcards from Houston

As an abstract artist, I am always on the lookout for inspiration and new experiences to fuel my creativity. That searching has largely included travel which is something I have made a priority and that I value to feed and nourish my creative well as I push ever forth with my work. My art has changed and evolved alongside each new place and experience. Surprisingly, Houston, Texas has been my secret muse for over three decades. Since the 1980s, Houston has been my second home town, thanks to my sister and parents who relocated there. But it wasn't until my first visit to Houston from Oregon that I realized how much the city had to offer in terms of culture, art, food, and parks.

Elise Wagner 5/9/23 Elise Wagner 5/9/23

Art Transits: From Past to Present

“The unifying theme in this body of work quite literally is transitions. I am excited to see how being in a new place that offers a constant view of the horizon combined with significant movement of constellations will inform the work. This series of 20 pieces, each 14” x 11”, represents both past and present, and in hindsight, they represent the 20 years of creating in my previous studio.”