Elizabeth Hautau Karp
Avondale Estates, GA
My work embodies a deep connection to nature, capturing the essence of time and beauty through familiar plants that evoke a sense of home and grounding.
Message
Elizabeth Hautau’s work explores themes of home, belonging, and the decisions made by our ancestors to transplant their roots, both literally and figuratively. She draws inspiration from her love of plants and her curiosity about cultural exchange—how seeds carried by travelers are planted to create comfort and familiarity in new regions.
Born on a flower farm in the foothills of Appalachia, Elizabeth attended Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia, where she earned her BFA in 1999. She has exhibited at the Allisa Duckler Gallery in Portland, the Avondale Art Alliance, and the Decatur Art Alliance Emerging Artist program. Elizabeth is a former member of The Goat Farm and the Grant Park Collective (The Mattress Factory) and participated in the juried shows New South and WhiteSpace Angel Blow-out as well as the Art Writers Mentorship Program with BurnAway Magazine.
As Art Director for Emory Magazine at Emory University, she continues to evolve and grow as an artist. Elizabeth has received recognition through design awards from CASE—Circle of Excellence and The Phoenix Awards, and her work has been featured in design publications, including Rockport Publishing. She lives with her partner and their son in Avondale Estates, Georgia, while actively seeking new opportunities to exhibit her art.
Statement
My paintings explore the deep kinship shared among humans through the lens of the natural world, focusing on the beauty of plants. Highlighting herbs and flowers native to the Southeastern region of North America, a place I have called home for the past thirty years.
My interest lies in emphasizing what unites us rather than what divides us, seeking familiarity through the universal presence of plants and flowers. For instance, the vervain plant is native to the Southeast but is found across the globe in various forms. Universally, vervain has been used medicinally for fevers, a testament to its shared significance across cultures. For those migrating to new regions, recognizing vervain in an unfamiliar landscape offers a comforting connection to home—a doorway connecting people and cultures, past to present.
The language of plants and their medicinal properties and cultural symbolism serve as a bridge to understanding one another. They remind us of our shared experiences and create a strong sense of unity across humankind.