New Artist Spotlight: Elizabeth Lasley

A fine art acrylic landscape painting titled The Healing by artist Elizabeth Lasley.
"The Healing" by Elizabeth Lasley. Acrylic on canvas.

We are pleased to welcome artist Elizabeth Lasley to the gallery! Elizabeth’s expressionist landscape paintings have been showcased nationally, and she has been juried into exhibitions at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, The National Arts Club in New York City, and the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach, among others. A native of North Carolina, Elizabeth moved to Asheville in 1985, and her work is greatly influenced by the natural beauty of our region.

In the interview below, we learn a little about Elizabeth’s artistic journey and her award-winning work. So keep scrolling for details!

Interview with Artist Elizabeth Lasley

Did you grow up in an artistic family? When were you first introduced to art?

Lasley: Some of my earliest memories are of playing with my mom’s paintbrushes while she worked. My mom was a big influence on me and my three siblings. She was a painter and encouraged creativity in all forms of art.

As a child, I was able to go with my mom as she volunteered as a docent at the Ackland Art Museum in my hometown of Chapel Hill, NC. Hearing her describe the history and details of each painting to museum visitors was a wonderful education.

A fine art mountain landscape painting by Asheville artist Elizabeth Lasley.
“Mountain Basin” by Elizabeth Lasley. Acrylic on canvas.

Who are your biggest artistic influences?

Lasley: Other than my mom, some notable influences include Alma Thomas, El Anatsui, Georgia O’Keeffe, J. M. W. Turner, and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva.

What’s your background? Do you have a formal art education, or are you self-taught?

Lasley: Both. My background in the visual arts is varied. I am primarily self-taught but studied art at the University of North Carolina Asheville, the Fine Arts League of the Carolinas, and the Atlantic Center for The Arts in New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

Tell me about your medium and why you were drawn to it.

Lasley: I work mainly in acrylics, so my work will dry quickly between layers. Painting like this allows me to see immediate effects and incorporate them into my overall composition.

“Red Moon” by Elizabeth Lasley. Acrylic on canvas.

What’s something about your work or process that would maybe surprise people?

Lasley: Part of my process includes adhering strips of recycled paper to my canvases in order to form a type of grid pattern. The paper gives my work extra texture and creates added depth. Then I paint a landscape over the grid.

Where do you find inspiration?

Lasley: I find inspiration for my paintings in the natural beauty of Western North Carolina. My work represents my visual memories and feelings from years of living and observing the majestic, ancient splendor of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I hope my expressionist landscapes encourage sensitivity to preserve our unique environment and give the viewer a sense of mystery and joy.

“Moonlit Pond” by Elizabeth Lasley. Acrylic on canvas.

When you’re not in the studio, what do you enjoy doing?

Lasley: I’m usually riding my bicycle with my husband and our little dog, Daisy – who rides along with us in a basket on the back.


SHOP select wall art at Grovewood Gallery.

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