About

Elise Black’s varied body of work is a marriage of creative paths the artist has experienced as a painter, sculptor and early on, as a designer in the fashion industry. It is a culmination of a life-long creative journey of exploration and expression that illustrates a fascination with materials and the process of construction. Paintings may have sewn elements and embellishments that create intriguing surfaces. Dimensionality is achieved through collage and various other techniques. Her use of color and composition convey the memories and impressions that serve as her inspiration. While many of her works are truly fluid and painterly, others have seams alluding to the artist’s history and concern with construction, evident in her more sculptural and dimensional works.

Materials often used include fabric, leather, yarn, glass, wood, ceramic, sequins and precious stone.

Black’s work appears in many private and corporate collections, and is included in Westport Connecticut’s Permanent Art Collection. Her experience in working in various mediums paired with her design experience makes her uniquely suited for the site-specific commissions she is awarded through designers and architects.

Education

*Fashion Institute of Technology, NYC 1979-1982 studied fashion illustration

*Post graduate studies include clay sculpture at F.I.T with Jerry Luisi *Metal Fabrication at the Silvermine School of Art, New Canaan, Ct.

Associations

*New York Society of Women Artists

*Society of Ct. Sculptors

*New Canaan Sculpture Society

Work History 1982-1991

Held freelance and staff positions as an illustrator and lead designer in the fashion industry. Owned Elise Black Design in NYC which provided sportswear manufacturers (such as Speedo, Rossingnol, Mistral, Olympic Games and NFL licensees) with full garment design, graphic design and merchandising services.

Selected Art Exhibitions 1996 - present

1996. Whitney Gallery, Westport, Ct.

1996. Nature Center, Westport, Ct

1997. Get Real Art, NYC

1998. “Global Vision”, Savacou Gallery, NYC

2001. “Humanform”, a one-woman multi-media installation in Atrium gallery, 125 Main Street, Westport Ct. (2001-2008 long term installation)

2002. Westport Arts Center, Westport, Ct

2003 Featured Artist, James Beard House Atrium, NYC

2004 Pleiades Gallery, NYC, group show NY Society of Women Artists

2004 Flynn Gallery, Greenwich, Ct. NYSWA

2005 Carriage Barn, New Canaan, Ct. 80th anniversary show of New York Society of Women Artists

2006 Westport Arts Center, Westport, Ct.

2007 “Emergence” solo show Chi Arts Center, Westport, Ct. (2007-2008)

2008 “The Circus in Sculpture”, Barnum Museum, Bridgeport, Ct.

2009 The Westport Arts Center, Westport, Ct

2009 “Coloring Outside The Lines”, solo show Great Hall, Westport Library

2010 “Texturally Inspiring Diverse Works” by Elise Black, Troy Fine Art,

Southport, Ct

2010 Richard’s of Greenwich featured artist in windows on Greenwich Ave

2010 Architectural Digest Show, MADE, NYC

2011 Mitchell’s of Westport featured artist

2011 “Splash” Housatonic Museum of Art, Bridgeport Ct. Juror: Marianne Brunson Frisch *second prize

2011 Architectural Digest Show, MADE, NYC

2011. Long term installation at the MLB Fan Cave, NYC

2012 100th Anniversary show Greenwich Arts Society Bendheim Gallery

Juror: Marla Prather, curator of 19th century art, Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC. *Prize winner

2012 “Explorations, a journey of artistic possibilities”, solo show Seti Gallery, Kent, Ct

2012. “Art Takes Time Square”, billboard event, NYC

2012 Solo show, Maserati of Greenwich, Ct

2012 “Akasha”, Rockwell Fine Art, Westport, Ct.

2013. “The Sweet Art Show”, Laura’s Fine Art, Westport, Ct.

2013 Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ

2014 Mana Contemporary, Jersey City, NJ

2014 Affordable Art Fair, NYC (Aibo Gallery)

2014. Rowayton Arts Center (guest juror)

2014 “Necessity”, LeClerc Gallery, Norwalk, CT.

2015. Affordable Art Fair, NYC (Karyn Mannix Contemporary)

2015 Art Hamptons, Bridgehampton, NY. (Karyn Mannix Contemporary)

2016 “ The Natural Realm” solo show Eleish Van Breems, Westport, Ct

2017 LOVE Gallery, S. Norwalk, Ct

2017 C. Parker Gallery, Greenwich, Ct (featured artist)

2019 The Artist’s Studio, featured artist Pompano Beach, Fl

2020 Sculptural Elements, Swoon, Westport, Ct (2020-2022)

2021 Plunge Hotel, Lobby Gallery, Lauderdale by The Sea, Fl

2022 The Plaza at Oceanside, 3rd. Floor Gallery, solo show

Pompano Beach, Fl. (Long term display)

2022 Studio Elements, Pompano Beach, Fl, solo show

2023 “Drawings in Space”, The Artist’s Studio, Pompano Beach, Fl