Artist Statement
Advanced Preschool Art is an experience, and World Preschool (WP) is like a pebble creating concentric circles for world peace and woman power. WP is an international nonprofit school with a global presence, fostering a gestalt experience. The council has a voice in generating creative solutions for global communities.
In 2022, the Virginia Museum of Fine Art accepted one of my works aptly titled ‘War is Obsolete,’ and the Arts and Education department praised my vision. I studied in the Communication Arts department at Virginia Commonwealth University and have three young adult children and three grandchildren.
I draw inspiration from various sources, including the Neo-Dada movement, Aristotle, Plato, Epicurus, Kant, Thomas Jefferson, Christo, Joseph Campbell, and Sir Ken Robinson.
Additionally, I have been a performance artist, often accompanied by my lavender-colored therapy dogs. Together, we traveled across the USA, visiting troubled inner-city neighborhoods and discovered that organized swim teams can significantly benefit families. We performed impromptu shows at renowned institutions like VMFA, Hirschhorn, Disneyland, MOMA, and many more.
With the power of beautiful art, we can collectively illuminate our world with a brighter future.
In this recording, Elie introduces herself and explains her philosophy and art…
Commissions
In my commission-based model, the artist Elie Elis and the patron agree on a unique arrangement for creating artwork. The patron determines the budget allocated for art supplies, which in turn influences the scale, quality, and materials of the final piece. For instance, if the patron invests $250 in art supplies, the artist creates a piece using those materials.
However, the transaction isn’t complete until the patron decides to purchase the artwork. In this case, the cost of the piece is doubled. So, if the patron invested $250 in art supplies, the final cost of the artwork would be $500.
This approach allows patrons to have a hand in shaping the creative process by specifying the investment in materials, while also providing me as the artist the compensation for my time, skill, and expertise in transforming those materials into a work of art. It creates a symbiotic relationship where both parties contribute to the creation and acquisition of meaningful artwork.