Virtually Gallery Hopping with Elizabeth Foley

Welcome to our first virtual gallery hop with Elizabeth Foley! We are so excited to be able to share her body of work Listening. You can purchase her pieces here.

Elizabeth Foley is an artist/printmaker in Louisville, Kentucky. For over twenty years she has exhibited work regionally; on view at 21c Museum Hotel Lexington and in the collections at UK Chandler Medical Center, May Department Stores, and Kentucky One Healthcare Network. While developing her art practice, she taught middle and high school art. She is a founding member of the Bluegrass Printmakers’ Cooperative in Lexington and was Executive Director for ten years. She is a member of the Kentucky Crafted Program and is a cohort in the 2017-18 Hadley Creatives Program. Elizabeth earned a BFA in graphic design from Washington University and an MFA in printmaking and M.Ed in secondary education from Ohio University.

Please enjoy this video as Elizabeth talks us through some of her thoughts behind this collection.

One opportunity afforded to us through this time of social distancing is the ability for Elizabeth to video with us from her studio. This allows us a special behind the scenes look at the process that goes into creating her loop de loops and circles that have become iconic to her work.

Now that you’ve seen the process that goes into creating each of these incredible pieces, Elizabeth Foley will share the story behind this extraordinary diptych piece, In Charge.

“I titled this show “Listening” to encourage contemplation.

Slow down. Focus. Get rid of distractions. Hear the words. Hear the sounds. What is that person trying to say to you? What is the Universe saying to you? What are you saying to yourself? Listen.

While making this work (which began a couple of ago) I was thinking about how to understand what my choices in life. I found that there was a constant chatter in my head. I had to find ways to either quiet the chatter or listen long enough to it to clarify the message. The pause was key to understanding which way to go. When positive, the chatter became waves; a calming ebb and flow.”

I wanted to include this listening in my artistic process. I believe in “happy accidents,” but now it was the time to be more deliberate. I wanted to be more intentional about the marks and the relationship of shapes. To pull back and listen I realized that the work had more to “say.” ”

Thank you so much for joining us during these unchartered waters and virtual events.

Health and Happiness to all,

Mary Ginocchio & Elizabeth Foley