Photo of Elizabeth Henry © Jason Levesque

Elizabeth Henry, or LizzeLizzeL as she is more commonly known in the art world, is an artist that I had the pleasure of interviewing once before. You can read the original interview on livejournal.com.

Elizabeth Henry is a plant murdering and pet touching artist currently living in Norfolk, VA. She is originally from Upper Darby, PA but was whisked away to Virginia 7 years ago after falling in love with fellow artist Jason Levesque of stuntkid.com. She works mainly with acrylic paint and pencil, but her style ranges from whimsical to realistic.

You can find more information about Elizabeth Henry (LizzeLizzeL) at these places online:
LizzeLizzel Official site and blog
Official Flickr
LizzeLizzeL on Livejournal
Etsy store

“Final Home”

Carmine Magazine: What’s your favorite piece you’ve ever done? (Please provide a picture)
LizzeLizzeL: This is actually hard to answer because I do work in several different styles and tend to separate them completely in my mind. Here are two favorites of mine and each from a different style I work in. One is a small and oval acrylic painting. It’s called Final Home. My other recent favorite is titled My My Valentine.

CM: If you could merge any two artist’s styles into your own which would you choose?
LL: Just two? James Jean jumps to mind immediately, but I think I wish I could merge Ben Caldwell and Ross Campbell’s style. That’s the answer to that for the moment, but tomorrow it could be someone else.

“My My Valentine”

CM: Which people inspire you the most in life?
LL: Probably people that don’t even remember me.

CM: Do you collect anything? If so what do you collect? If not what would you collect (finances and space permitting)?
LL: I actually try not to collect things. It makes me feel guilty. I do end up buying plenty of vintage clothes that don’t fit me right, holding onto them for a while and then passing them on to a thrift store or friend. If I had a lot of money, space and no fear of becoming a hoarder, I’d collect old medical devices and chemistry tools. I am drawn to medical ephemera. I’ve always loved old medicine bottles and pamphlets. I’m tempted to start framing bandages. I do buy artwork from other artists I admire when I can afford to.

“Precipitation”
CM: Name five things you always have near you when you create.
LL: My computer, earphones, blanket, soda, and a space heater. I used to need my hot water bottle all steamy and on my lap, but then it sprung a leak. I replaced it with an old space heater, but then it started spitting fire. I need to be warm to be productive!

CM: Name 5 materials/supplies you can’t live without (please include brand names where available).
LL: Golden acrylics, ampersand cradled hardboards, my moleskine, and mechanical pencils. I wish I liked using traditional pencils, but the texture of them in my hand reminds me too much of grade school.

“The Patient”
CM: What kind of an environment do you need to create in and what does your workspace look like (pictures welcomed)?
LL: Ideally I’d have my own room to work in, but that never seems to work out. When my boyfriend is home I want to be near him and I feel like I’m ignoring him if I’m shut away. I simply want to be comfortable and would love a small sunny space that’s all my own. I need to have noise. I especially enjoy listening to audio plays based on scary stories or crime history. I also need the room to be bright and cheery. I can’t stand to work in dim light.

CM: If you could have any talent which would you choose?
LL: I wish I was good at anything physical, like dancing/gymnastics, just something that made me feel strong and sore in a way that also feels accomplished.

“Grave”
CM: How go about naming your pieces? Do they start out with names or do you have to figure them out once the pieces are finished?
LL: I usually start a painting with a phrase in mind. The end result doesn’t always match the name I had in mind, but I tend to keep it anyway.

CM: From idea to finished piece, about how long does the creative process take you?
LL: Sometimes I get in a frenzy and can churn work out rapidly, but there are always unfinished paintings lurking about my work space. I have to put some aside because I’m afraid of ruining what I’ve started by being too eager to complete them.

“Tampon Dynamite”
CM: Which of your pieces took the longest to finish and which was one of the quickest for you to finish? (Please provide pictures.)
LL: I often have to start a painting completely over, so some can take years if you count the starts and stops, but that isn’t usually the case. I get an idea and try to work it out for as long as it takes to be successful. Snail Trail probably took the longest to complete. I’m still not sure that it is finished. My small paintings don’t take very long. I tend to do those when I’m in a frenzy and I work on several at a time.

CM: How do you sign your pieces? What do you sign with and where do you usually sign? (Please provide pictures.)
LL: My signature is something I came up with as early as middle school. It started as an attempt to tag or simply make my name appear more special than it in.

CM: Any words of wisdom or advice to share with other artists or artistic people who are afraid to create?
LL: Don’t be a coward, but don’t mistake conciet for bravery. Convey confidence without truly being convinced that you can do no wrong.

CM: Are there any special causes or charities close to your heart that you wish you could donate work, time or money to?
LL: I would like to be a wildlife rehabilitator someday. I also like to garden and try to grow native plants to help the local wildlife. I don’t have specific charities I contribute to, but I try to be aware of the impact that my decisions as a consumer has on the world.

“Snail Trail”
CM: Do you have any upcoming art shows, releases or other news you would like our readers to know about?
LL: Nothing right now. I may have something coming up but it’s not confirmed yet. That said, I would like to participate in group shows and hope I’m asked to do some in the future.

“Death Cap”

“Mergerl Sketches”

“Mergirl and the Cuddlefish”

“Ghost Owls”

“Squirrel Guirrel”