Elise Geschardt: An Artist
Elise Geschardt aspired to make art after watching her father paint houses in Florida. She wanted to emulate her dad, but after a few years lost interest in it because she did not think much of her own work. In her early teens, she picked up photography, and that renewed her interest in making art.
Geschardt is especially moved by the photographer Sally Mann. She respects how Mann pushed the boundaries of photography with her darker subjects, and finds the eerie quality of Mann’s photos alluring. Another artist she appreciates is Pablo Picasso, and she specifically praises the way he was not afraid to switch up his approach and methods over the course of his career. Her two favorite phases of his are Cubism and the Blue Period.
Photo by Sally Mann.
Blue Period painting by Pablo Picasso.
Though friends have described her art as being somewhat “trippy,” Geschardt is currently trying out many different styles. She hopes that her art will too push boundaries and be bold, like Mann, and if not, then at least entertaining–but with a message. She wants to steer clear of shallow subject matter. Geschardt references South Park as being an influence of hers because of how they have approached current events through cartoon art and humor over the last twenty years. She notes that she is heavily influenced by cartoons, specifically adult-themed cartoons, such as “Family Guy” and “BoJack Horseman.” Elise remarks that “Family Guy” was a large part of her childhood, and that her childhood experiences shape her art. She likes to reminisce about how she used to handle the world back then, and how she has grown in the intervening years.
All works by Elise Geschardt.
In addition to cartoons, Geschardt is an artist who is inspired by music, classic rock being her favorite. She feels that the music she is currently listening to impacts the way she interacts with her art. Listening to the diverse sounds on Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” or The Doors’ song “The Crystal Ship” expands her mind as she works. Expressing a slight dissatisfaction at the general state of her workspace, the artist goes on to say that she functions better in a neat environment, but that is hardly ever the case for her. When she is in the zone, she has no motivation to keep her area tidy. Such is the life of an artist!
The Doors – The Crystal Ship
(Poem from interview)
shallow interactions
in painted houses
clean interiors:
calm and focused
messy boundaries
