I live in Greenville, South Carolina, at the edge of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where I paint from life, primarily using oils on linen canvas. Art is how I think, how I come alive, and how I respond to both beauty and heartache.

Creativity and nature have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was fortunate to be raised by a watercolorist mother who painted plein air and an artistic father, immersing me in the arts from a young age. When I was fourteen, I fell in love with photography, spending most of my school lunch periods developing film in the darkroom. That early passion evolved into a career as a full-time professional photographer for many years. 

While I continued to explore various mediums over the years, everything shifted in 2020 when I tried oil paints for the first time. I was instantly hooked. For the first few years, I painted exclusively plein air, working outdoors on location along the North and South Carolina line—immersed in the forests, creeks, and pastures. There is simply no better way than painting from life to understand the true behavior of light, shadow, atmosphere, and energy. 

To deepen my practice, I took workshops with exceptional artists, including Jim Carson, Anne Blair Brown, Sarah Sedwick, David Shevlino, James Richards, and Natalia Nosyk. I studied online with Robert Zeller and Quang Ho. Today, I split my time equally between my studio and the field, still painting from life under the close mentorship of Jim Carson. 

I believe that in our most challenging times, art is more needed, not less. I do not paint with an innocent naïveté; I paint because I have lived, and I know firsthand that art brings a much-needed sense of hope to our world. 

If you would like to inquire about an available painting, discuss a custom commission, or schedule a visit to the studio, I would love to hear from you.  Contact

Ellie