Location during Art Walk EAST:
Stop 2
The Eastern in the Tower 22 District
4407 East Side Avenue

Artist story and creative journey
I’m Dallas-based but originally from Oklahoma, and the artist behind Elise Wall Art. I’ve loved creating art for as long as I can remember, but I recently began sharing and selling my work more intentionally through original collections, commissions, and local markets. I primarily work with acrylic paint, chalk pastel, and mixed media, creating colorful florals, landscapes, horses, and other pieces inspired by nature, memory, and the feeling a painting can bring into a home. I’m drawn to expressive color, texture, and movement, and I love creating pieces that feel both joyful and personal. One of my favorite parts of being an artist is seeing how differently people connect with each piece. Art has always brought me comfort and inspiration, and it’s incredibly meaningful to now create work that becomes part of someone else’s home and story.

Inspiration and artistic perspective
My work is deeply inspired by nature, memory, and the people and moments that shape us. My mom passed away when I was 19, and since then I’ve dedicated every painting to her in some small way. I often hide a lily of the valley flower, butterflies, or groups of three within my work as a quiet tribute to her. Most people may never notice these details, but they are incredibly meaningful to me and have become a personal tradition in everything I create. Beyond that, I’m constantly inspired by the natural world—wildflowers, reflections on water, horses, changing landscapes, and the unexpected colors and textures found in everyday life. I love creating work that feels expressive, joyful, and full of movement while still holding something personal beneath the surface. For me, painting is not only about creating something beautiful. It is also a way of preserving memory, honoring the people I love, and creating pieces that can carry meaning into someone else’s home.

Creative process
My creative process is very intuitive and usually starts with a collection of inspiration rather than one specific idea. I’ll gather photographs, colors, textures, landscapes, flowers, or other images that catch my attention and begin pairing them together until something starts to feel right. There usually isn’t a set order to how a piece comes together. Sometimes I begin with the colors, sometimes with the subject, and sometimes the painting changes completely once I start working. I like giving myself room to experiment as I go instead of planning every detail ahead of time. I primarily work with acrylic paint and chalk pastel, and I love layering the two because they allow me to build texture, movement, and depth. A lot of the process is simply responding to the piece as it develops and knowing when to add more, simplify, or let an imperfect mark stay.

Experiences that shaped my work
One of the experiences that has shaped me most as an artist was losing my mom when I was 19. Grief changed the way I looked at memory, beauty, and the small details we hold onto, and over time painting became one of the ways I could stay connected to her. Since then, I’ve dedicated every painting to her in some small way. I often include a hidden lily of the valley, butterflies, or groups of three within my work. They may not be obvious to everyone looking at the piece, but to me they are a quiet reminder of her and a way of carrying her with me through everything I create. That experience has made me especially drawn to art that feels personal and meaningful. I want my paintings to be beautiful, but I also want them to hold emotion, memory, and a sense of connection beneath the surface.

What would you like visitors to know
I want people to know that my work is created with a lot of heart, even when the subject itself is simple. I’m drawn to beauty that feels natural, imperfect, and lived-in, and I hope that comes through in every piece. More than anything, I hope my paintings make people feel something—joy, comfort, nostalgia, peace, or even just a connection to a place or memory they love. I want my work to feel personal without telling someone exactly what they are supposed to see or feel. One of my favorite things about art is that the same painting can mean something completely different to each person. I love that once a piece leaves my hands, it gets to become part of someone else’s home, memories, and story.

Website: elisewallart.com
Instagram: @elisewallart
Email: elisenicwallart@gmail.com