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May 5, 1999
Husband and Wife Trade Briefcases for Brushes
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kathleen Elsey or Victor Elsey
805-569-0542
After a combined 50 years in advertising art direction and graphic design, Kathleen and Victor Elsey have chosen to put their briefcases in the closet and pick up a set of paintbrushes instead. The result so far has been a passionate outpouring of color-drenched paintings depicting subjects ranging from the rolling hills of Marin and the Napa Valley to quaint fishing villages in Mexico.
"I paint the world," says Kathleen Elsey, formerly the owner of her own graphic design firm in San Francisco. "I loved advertising and graphic design, and I still have my hand in it somewhat, but this is where my passion lies right now." Greatly influenced by the Fauvist and California Impressionist schools, Kathleen’s paintings practically jump off the canvas with an explosion of vivid colors and lyrical forms. Painting everywhere she goes has resulted in a collection of brilliant landscapes and street scenes from Europe, Mexico and California. Her work can be seen in the Marin Open Studios May 15 and 16 and also at the Sausalito Labor Day Art Festival in September.
Formerly an art director in London, New York and San Francisco, Victor Elsey is fascinated by people and people-watching and likes to concentrate on a definitive sense of place, time and mood in his work. "I strive to capture the local color, the people, the essence of the country. For me, a great subject is people enjoying a glass of wine at a Parisian café," Victor says. His subjects include California and European vineyards, people at work and play in Mexico and France, and colorful landscapes. Also a ceramist, Victor is creating unusual, hand-built, one-of-a-kind vases, pots and bowls in polished earth tones and engagingly primitive shapes and textures. Victor’s work can be seen on May 15 and 16 during Marin Open Studios.
The couple live in Mill Valley, in a light-drenched home filled with their own art and the rare and interesting artifacts they’ve brought back with them from their travels. Each has a separate studio in the house, and although they admire and critique each other’s art, they are able to create their own worlds-within-a-world at home. "When we’re painting, nothing else matters," says Kathleen. "And when we’re done for the day," says Victor, "we emerge from our studios, head straight for the kitchen and make dinner just like anybody else. But without that frustrating freeway commute."
It’s a lifestyle many would envy, and it has been hard-won. "We worked like crazy for years and years," says Victor. "This is our reward, and we are enjoying every minute."
© 2009 Kathleen Elsey. All rights reserved. All paintings are property of Kathleen Elsey
and may not be reproduced in any form without the written permission of Kathleen Elsey.
This site was created by Kevin Bonner
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