Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art | 6/18-9/8 | Great Falls, MT

Between Earth and Heaven

E.L. Stewart's new exhibitionis focused on the human condition through landscapes

Artist E.L. Stewart is perhaps best known for her figurative paintings, but her new exhibition at Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art in Great Falls, Montana, titled Between Earth and Heaven, is focused on the human condition through landscapes and works that combine the figure and land. It is a personal glimpse into the artist’s heart “during illness and death and enduring grief.” Stewart says,Dust Cloud, acrylic on canvas, 48 x 60"

“I have found that grief is often times invisible. It seems to hide in shadows but can reenter our lives at any time.”

Her paintings are created directly on canvas in acrylic paint or mixed media, often without a preliminary sketch. They are largely realistic, with a push into abstraction, where she uses the picture plane to switch back and forth between the two styles.

“My works, particularly my figures, portray the essence of living persons, wildly vulnerable in the home of the soul and spirit,” she says. “I look beyond the raw physical attributes into the whole person with their passions and fears and dreams exposed. I believe that the viewer will bring their own life experiences into a painting, thereby making the work a personal encounter.”Stand of Trees, acrylic on canvas, 30 x 30"This exhibition includes landscapes such as Dust Cloud and one of her newest paintings Stand of Trees. Each work is intricate and filled with movement, yet there is a sense of quiet felt. “My paintings are ignited by memory,” she says. “Some of my paintings breathe a longing for a peaceful existence while others portray the complexity of grief.”