Elise Mendelle "Dynamic Duo"

Elise Mendelle is a Canadian born, London-based contemporary artist whose work explores the emotional depth and complexity of the female form through bold, expressive brushstrokes and a pared-back use of colour. Her paintings capture moments of introspection and experience, blending realism and abstraction to evoke the hidden stories within her subjects. Elise has gained significant recognition, with her work featured in prestigious exhibitions across the UK and internationally. She recently won the Director's Choice Award leading to a solo show at Henarch Galleries in London, has had a sold-out show with Oreofe Gallery in Paris, and has taken part in highly regarded shows in Notting Hill, Highgate, and Piccadilly Circus as well as The Other Art Fair in London. Her art continues to resonate with audiences worldwide, offering a compelling exploration of identity and emotion.

"I am captivated by the quiet strength of the female form and the rich emotional undercurrents that shape our everyday lives. My work seeks to illuminate moments of introspection - those fleeting, often unnoticed spaces where identity and resilience coexist. Through the interplay of line, colour and expression, I aim to tell stories that are at once deeply personal and universally felt. Working primarily in acrylics, I use bold, expressive brushstrokes and a deliberately restrained palette to abstract the figure, stripping away distraction to reveal emotional truth. My process is intuitive and uniquely personal - each painting begins with a distinct sense of mood, and I allow that emotion to guide the subject matter. Gesture becomes my guiding language; the movement of paint across the canvas is as essential as the image itself, forming a visceral connection between artist, subject and viewer. Though grounded in realism, my figures often dissolve into abstraction - an intentional decision to capture not the likeness, but the essence of a moment. I invite the viewer to engage not just with the image, but with the feeling behind it, to find their own story within the silences and spaces I leave open. I create art because I believe in the power of visual storytelling to reveal the unseen. My work is a meditation on the beauty of emotional nuance - a celebration of strength found in stillness, and truth found in subtlety. I am endlessly fascinated by how the simplest mark can evoke something unspoken, how a single line can carry the weight of a memory or a revelation. At its core, my practice is a tribute to the female experience and the emotional landscapes we inhabit. It is an invitation to pause, look inward, and find power in the quietest of reflections." - Elise Mendelle