Reverie in Revolt

Skin Shedding Season #1, oil on canvas, 17.25" x 13.25"

In her show Reverie in Revolt, Elise Howell uses her brightly colored, anthropomorphized floral paintings to push back against the constant barrage of information. In an effort to point viewers back to nature and to be aware of their surroundings, Howell crafts mesmerizing compositions that animate the paintings. Through creating these paintings, Howell revolts against the way we are constantly being told what to think and how to feel, and uses her paintings to resist and redirect both herself and her audience towards the calm and groundedness of nature.

Art can remind us of what's true and real. While we may feel powerless and believe life has no color or beauty, Howell's paintings grab us and point us back to the natural world. These brightly colored oil paintings and watercolor pencils fill the gallery unapologetically, offering viewers an opportunity to slow down and be aware of their surroundings. It feels almost meditative as it draws our eyes up and down the winding lines of flower stems, leaves, and branches. While these are clearly paintings of flowers in nature, they are anything but delicate; they are strong and resilient.

While Howell paints in her studio, she gathers compositional and color palette inspiration by first doing plein air studies outside in her garden. She specifically looks for moments when it appears two flowers are interacting and "having a conversation." These little moments add to the anthropomorphization of the plants in her pieces, making it look like two people chatting. A perfect example is in her painting Afternoon Morning Glory (Holding Pattern), where three morning glory blossoms on a stem seem to be in a dialogue with one another. Their petals are bowed and turned towards each other, as if they are listening to each other speak. The gentle brushstrokes add to this as well.

Afternoon Morning Glory (Holding Pattern), oil on canvas, 36" x 24"

Beautiful Weirdo, oil on canvas, 16" x 20"

Howell's vibrant color palettes, paired with her compositions, make the plants feel like they're pulsing and vibrating with life. Her brushstrokes are methodical, but create motion that draws us in as we look. In Beautiful Weirdo, bright green stems interact with vibrant pinks and white in the blooms. Because green and red are complementary colors on the color wheel, they create energy as they bounce off each other. This energy reminds us of nature's power and our dependence on it.

These paintings are powerful reminders of our need to spend time outdoors; just as plants require water, fresh air, and sunlight, so do we. Let this show inspire you to take time away from the bombardment of news and information and spend time outside, enjoying and caring for the green, growing things.