Paula Elliott : Point Of View

Beginnings comprises a group of small-scale works that serve as a prelude to a new, large-scale series on paper initiated this past year. Working within an intimate format has opened space for renewed experimentation with the rich and expressive possibilities of pastel. Sculptural form continues to drive the artist’s inquiry, now shaped by a heightened spatial intricacy. Within the constraints of scale, each composition explores the emergence of a distinctive—at times eccentric—shape or object, emphasizing both structure and nuance.

Outcomes expands upon the discoveries made in Beginnings, embracing a greater freedom of movement and expression. These large-scale works on paper foreground the monumental and formal power of a singular, commanding form. Through their scale and clarity, they assert a strong and individual presence, inviting viewers to encounter each form as both object and atmosphere—at once grounded and expansive.

In Elliott’s words:

Over the past decade, my artistic practice has been primarily conceived and executed on paper. In this extensive body of work, I often focus on a solitary shape, aiming to capture in a single image the unique essence of an abstract “object.”

Outcomes, my latest large-scale series, examines the monumental and formal potential of this singular, distinctive form. As with an earlier group of works titled Oddballs, I draw inspiration from a poem by A. R. Ammons—lines that continue to spark my creativity:

fly the definite lest it lock you in! have solvent by should
the imperative devise you a vice: see a spread of possibilities,
not an onion plot: the juggler has twice as many balls as hands
because it’s all up in the air

My process typically begins with a simple sketch. Working in pastel, often combined with charcoal and pencil, I allow ideas to emerge unfixed and open-ended. Each image develops as if on its own terms, gradually taking shape through refinement. In the small-scale works titled Beginnings, these exploratory forms provide a foundation for elaboration in larger pieces. The object and its inventive field of play remain the central focus.

Throughout the creative process, distinct contrasts arise—diffuse atmospheres versus strict geometrical structures, order versus fluidity, spontaneity versus deliberation—inviting interpretation and encouraging viewers to engage with each image as both form and presence.