Today we’d like to introduce you to Eliza Midgett.
Hi Eliza, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, you could tell our readers some of your backstories.
I’ve been fascinated by color since early childhood and channeled that vivid imagination into sketches, drawings, and house and fashion designs throughout my youth. My love of art led me to pursue a BFA at James Madison University, and I spent my 20s chasing dreams, painting, and exhibiting my work in shows. I largely put this passion on the back burner while pursuing an even greater passion: raising two wonderful boys. But then I jumped back into the art world by teaching art full-time in elementary schools and getting my paintbrush wet during my spare time. During the pandemic, when we all reflected on our lives, I made the momentous, scary decision to focus on my art full-time. I secured studio space in The Hub, a non-profit gallery in New Smyrna Beach, supporting the arts community, including outreach programs. I spend my days there interacting with clients while painting, but I also teach art camps, a home school art class, and area Boys & Girls Clubs outreach programs. I’ve painted several murals for area businesses and was excited to be chosen as one of the first New Smyrna Beach shark artists to paint a 7’ fiberglass shark on display in the city. I truly am “living the dream.”
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Raising two very active boys was undoubtedly a huge time commitment, one that I happily made with no regret, but it did limit the amount of time I could devote to art. Challenges with interpersonal relationships, the passing of my parents, and especially the premature deaths of my two brothers, one from early onset Alzheimer’s and the other from alcoholism, were contributors to depression that impeded my creativity and desire to paint.
Thanks for sharing that. So, you could tell us a bit more about your work.
Unconventional Colorscapes: Growing up in Virginia Beach, I naturally gravitate towards drawing beach scenes, but in my way. Colors have always played a role in my life and have become not just part of my art but a part of who I am. Even before I could draw, I performed the “Purple Dance” for my parents and other dances in every color of the rainbow, matching the mood of the music with my feelings about each color. My fascination with color lured me towards studying psychology, marketing, and interior design facets of color and using it as a powerful tool to communicate artistically. As I paint in my adopted hometown of New Smyrna Beach, I continue to explore the joy of color. Viewing the world in chunks of color, shadows, exaggerated shapes, and patterns, I transform nature into my surreal wonderland. Organically twisting black lines divide a sea of tropical colors on my canvases, akin to mosaics. I aim to bring my whimsical world to everyone, just like when Mary Poppins jumped into those chalk drawings on the sidewalk. People are drawn into my studio because of my bold use of color, and when they step into “my world,” they say that the paintings make them happy.
The crisis has affected us all in different ways. How has it affected you, and are any important lessons or epiphanies you can share with us?
I am a firm believer that art is healing and that art is a catalyst for change. When I’m creating art, I am entirely immersed, and that place is where I escape to during that time. Anyone who has seen my work knows that it is often a surreal, whimsical take on something I have seen or experienced. Add to that the use of unique and bright colors, and the result is a painting that makes people happy; I’m grateful to hear that all the time. So enjoying the creative process and seeing people’s smiling faces leaves me in a good place. I can’t get my loved ones back, but I can honor their memory. My eldest brother played piano professionally, and in all of my work, you will find a subtle tribute to him in the form of black & white stripes that symbolize piano keys. The shark I did for New Smyrna Beach is affectionally named “Sam the Shark” in memory of my other brother, who loved being in and on the water. While I don’t think anyone can truly get over losing loved ones, I have been able to use my art to help remember those important in my life in a positive, happy way. I think they would smile!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elizamidgettcolors
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizamidgettcolors
