Well known Hartbeespoort artist Elsa Cornelissen will be exhibiting her paintings at Gallery@ButterflyBlu during November.

Elsa’s main genres are wildlife, symbolic realism, emotionally expressive portraits and nude studies.

“My art is an extension of myself and thourgh my art I have been able to channel my emotions and life experience to grow as a person myself,” she says.
On painting animals, a passion of hers, she says she is humbled by their presence every time she sees them. “I am humbled by their spirit, unique beauty and individuality. My ultimate aim is to depict them in their natural state of total unawareness of the onlooker. The purpose of my art is to convey a message, evoke a feeling, an awareness of the uniqueness not only of a species but of every individual animal whether it be a leopard, a lion or a zebra. I hope that looking at my art, a deeper serious urge will descend in each individual’s consciousness a need to protect, to conserve each animal and by doing so be consequently enriched.”
Elsa studied art at the University of Pretoria and taught art at various high schools and technical colleges, as well as private classes to adults and children.
Her work has been exhibited widely.
“After several years of teaching, I gave it up to devote myself fully to painting. I only offer classes now and then. I have completed an art therapy course and would like to assist people to rediscover their own creativity and experience it as a healing process,” she says.
“A work of art usually begins with an emotion. Similar in approach to a filmmaker, I decide on the right subject and location and then embark on an adventure. I have discovered that in the end, art always reveals more about the artist that the subject. To paint something, to capture a moment frozen in time, only to have it live again when viewed by others, is one of the greatest joys of being an artist.”
Visit Gallery@ButterflyBlu at Little Paris, next to French Toast to view this talented artist’s work.