Eleftheria Easley
Springfield, VA
Northern Virginia based collage artist, Eleftheria Easley, unlocks the beauty and potential of collected items and invites the viewer to share a connection.
MessageNOVA-based collage artist Eleftheria Easley has created mixed media works since occupying her first studio space, a high-chair piled with art supplies, including her older siblings’ sewing notions and drafting tools. This formative environment fostered her resourcefulness and exploration of papers and textiles as raw materials for making art. Her representational and patterned works, primarily on paper or canvas, unlock the beauty and potential of juxtaposed items and invite the viewer to share a connection.
Her pieces are held in private collections throughout the United States. Internationally, her work is owned in Italy and Peru and has been on display as part of a cultural outreach initiative in the Republic of Korea. Broadening her digital reach, she co-hosted an online workshop blending guided meditation with creative expression. She organized and hosted an Open Studio event, showcasing a solo exhibition of her works and fostering connections within her local community.
Earning her BFA in Graphic Design at Boston University, Eleftheria is also a military veteran who has lived throughout the United States, and in both Europe and Asia. She has worked as a graphic designer, a maker at arts and crafts fairs, an event planner and as a custom framer. She is currently a member of Mosaic Arts Gallery in Fairfax, VA, Gallery Underground in Arlington, VA, Artists’ Undertaking Gallery in Occoquan, VA, Del Ray Artisans in Alexandria, VA and select prints are part of the gallery space at Old Town Editions in Alexandria, VA. To view original artwork, request a commission or purchase limited edition print reproductions, please visit http://www.eleftheriaeasley.com.
Statement
Human connection and cultural exchange inspire me because when we absorb the influence of a particular experience we also leave an imprint. The purpose of my work is to facilitate this connection and my mechanism is storytelling through mixed media collage. I explore the extraordinary within the ordinary and each piece of art tells a tale wherein the materials build tactile layers and their origins also add depth of meaning to the work. Collecting my materials is a treasure hunt through daily life encompassing remarkably diverse moments and places. I merge papers, textiles and found items from around the world, by cutting and shaping them to reveal the visual links that dynamically join and contrast them. Representational subjects and intricate patterned works emerge with form, detail, and texture. I sometimes tack down the collage elements with glue dots and embroidery, or paint and seal them with liquid adhesive, or assemble and affix the layers with metal brads, depending upon the piece and its background surface. I up-cycle ordinary odds and ends alongside precious and upscale materials, promoting sustainability and the potential of each item to be reimagined within a new context. My art is at once deeply personal and widely relatable, inviting reflection from the viewer about what resonates with each of us and the common ground we share.
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