Elise Mendelle is a Canadian artist living and working in London. Her expressive brushstrokes and stripped back subjects have viewers connect with the female form, and engage feelings of purpose, strength and empowerment. Her work is both anonymous but recognisable, allowing viewers to insert themselves straight into the narrative to identify with the presented scene.
Central to Elise’s practice is the deliberate use of minimalist brushstrokes and the focus on line, colour and brushstrokes. By employing a pared-back approach, she seeks to distil her visual language to its core elements, allowing the viewer to engage with the purity and simplicity of form. In stripping away excess, she aims at revealing the inherent power and elegance that lie beneath the surface, inviting contemplation and introspection from the viewer in a deeply personal way.
Each stroke that Elise makes is meticulously placed, with every curve and contour thoughtfully considered. Through the interplay of light and shadow, she seeks to evoke a sense of depth and dimension, breathing life into the canvas and creating a presence filled with emotion that is deeply personal and highly resonant.
The minimalism in Elise’s work extends beyond the physical representation of the female form. It is a visual language that delves into the emotions and narratives that shape a woman’s experience. By focusing on the essential, Elise encourages viewers to engage in a dialogue with the artwork, allowing their own stories and interpretations to emerge.
Elise is inspired by contemporary figurative artists, such as Alice Neel and Julian Opie, and has developed her practice into a loose and rhythmical style. Interest in her work continues to grow, with her paintings now part of collections worldwide. Her practice began when she took part in Artrooms in Rome, and she has since gone on to be an active participant in shows and exhibitions in London, Portugal, Italy and Spain. Elise has been part of Studio Fridays emerging artists group in North London since 2020 and has recently begun a collaboration with design house Urban Cotton in The Netherlands.
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