I was born in Nebraska in 1969. I earned a BFA at the University of Alaska Anchorage in printmaking with a secondary emphasis in oil painting. In 1998 I received an MLIS from the University of Hawaii Manoa. In 1999 I took a position at the University of Alaska Southeast where I am currently an Associate Professor of Library & Information Science. My home and studio are currently on Douglas Island Alaska... where I plan to stay for a good long time!

In my final year at UAA I completed a solo printmaking exhibit for my thesis project. After graduation I didn't want to create anything intellectual ever again. I spent several years doing functional pottery and hand built clay sculpture. After awhile though, narrative and the human figure re-emerged as a dominant theme, as well as my passion for painting, particularly oil painting.

Just prior to moving to Juneau I was attending graduate school in Hawaii. There I was surrounded by intense tropical colors which I loved. Here in Southeast Alaska the color pallet is more monochromatic; surrounded by the green of the Tongass National forest and the perpetual gray sky, color has taken on a new significance for me; color has become the central component of my compositions and an element I truly crave.

For years I've set figures against a colorful yet nonobjective background which morphs slowly into an abstract landscape. The landscapes, part of recognizable settings are even more apparent with the use of plant life local to our region. I have integrated the female form with the complementary shapes of the natural world.

The imagery is ambiguous enough to allow each viewer to use their own imagination to create narrative. Beauty creates a magical kind of power and provides a momentary respite from the horrors of everyday reality. I hope that these paintings will bring that magic into the lives of my viewers.

Examples of paintings by Elise are shown below.