Name: Elizabeth Mayville

City of Residence: Rockford, MI

Featured Artwork: Blue Scraps

Exhibition: 10 FOLD, CTAC - Traverse City Cornwell Gallery

On View: now through May 23, 2025

Tell us about the creative process for the featured piece in our exhibition: 
This painting is about trying to make myself see and use more color. For 'Blue Scraps' I took a photo of my still life set up and then broke it down into one-inch segments on my computer that I looked at one by one so I could decide the color independent of the surrounding areas. It was very meditative and also felt insane.

Who or what inspires your creativity? 
As a kid I was always inspired by other kids I knew that were better at drawing than me. That was enough to motivate me up to college where I learned about painters that I continue to love like Fairfield Porter, Andrew Wyeth and David Park. At present I’m inspired by contemporary artists like Susan Lichtman, Zoie Frank and Maira Kalman. They seem like they’re having fun and that is wildly inspiring.

Where can visitors learn more about your work? My website (www.emayville.com) has a lot of my work as well as links to my online store and Instagram account. I also sell some prints and paintings through the Ann Arbor Art Center shop.

Artist Bio: Elizabeth Mayville lives and works in Michigan with her husband and kids. Since graduating with a BFA from Grand Valley in 2006, her paintings have become part of art collections around the world and have been included in various publications.

LIGHTNING ROUND!

• When I work, I listen to: Podcasts.
• For example: I listen to a ton of podcasts but my favorites are Glamorous Trash, How Did This Get Made and, a new addition, Good Hang.
• I studied: Fine art with an emphasis in oil painting
• "One" art-related thing I can't live without: Rulers. If I allowed myself to freehand straight lines everything I make would be so embarrassing.
• Three words that best describe me: Aloof rule follower.
• Three words that best describe my art: Calm small paintings.

Thank you to Elizabeth for jumping in and joining us for the Artist Spotlight Q&A in Traverse City!