Finnigan’s Boat Ride
ELIZABETH CHECHE SURREALISM IN PORTRAITURE Interview by Harryet Candee
All of your paintings depict images of the ‘female’ icon. How do you relate to them and what do they share? Elizabeth Cheche: Everything I paint is a self-portrait in one way or another, also, there is a surrealist narrative within each painting, and a stage-like setting as well. I love the theatrics of a stage! I would say this is what ties them all together. My stories unfold in so many ways, a lot of my ideas come when I’m out walking my dogs in nature, but also from dreams, experiences I’ve had, and ideas that come from my subconscious. The best ideas come when I’m not looking! Other qualities that each painting shares, is a feeling of isolation or loneliness, I’m not sure how obvious this is, but I see it. What drives me as an artist is the unknown. When I begin a painting, the empty board feels terrifying, creating a feeling of vulnerability within and it will affect my emotions for days until I figure out the direction of my composition, but I love the chaos in this dance. What is the technique and medium you use for 26 • JUNE 2020 THE ARTFUL MIND
painting? I love glazing and scumbling which I do after I have applied many layers of paint as a base to create a foundation for the composition. After glazing and scumbling, I apply more paint using tiny sable brushes, leaving the small brush strokes on the surface of the painting to help create an intimate affect. I use oil paints, and the brand that I love is Holbein, a Japanese paint. Do you paint every day? I try, but sometimes life gets in the way. When I’m not painting, there is always a part of my brain that is thinking creatively, like ways to implement new ideas into interesting compositions, or problem solving on a painting in progress. What is the painting Things We Don’t Say about? See this art work and others mentioned in this interview but not shown on here website: www.cheche-art.com I couldn’t help but let my imagine wander and conjure up my own “living thing” lurking in the
shadows. “Things We Don’t Say” is one of my favorite paintings! I love painting interiors that have a message within. This painting is about relationships and the space between words and thoughts that are not realized, causing a great deal of misunderstandings in relationships. “What We Found In Wonderland” is one of my favorite paintings! Can you tell us about it? I love this one too, thank you! I thought it would be fun to do a circus themed painting with all women, engaged in various activities. This painting came about when I was at my home in the White Mountains. It is primarily surrounded by forest and I thought I’d create a landscape that feels like an isolated forest with an all-female circus underway. Elizabeth, please tell us a little about your background? I studied interior design and art history in college but I always wanted to be a painter. I chose not to study painting though, because I didn’t want any
