Light and movement are at the heart of Elsa Bluethner’s paintings and she infuses her vibrant, bold oils with their shifting warmth and rhythm, bathing her subjects in a luminous presence. This sense of light and motion flows through her choice of subjects, which move between the figure, cloths and clotheslines, still-lifes and landscapes created en plein air or from reference in the studio. Elsa also accepts commissions featuring figures, people, places, and animals.

Her skills draw on a background in costuming, garment design, and illustration. Grounded in a strong foundation of drawing, her paintings reveal an interplay of control and spontaneity, with brushwork that is both delicate and bold. She finds endless inspiration in the play of light and colour found in nature: the glow of backlit cloth, the shifting hues of waves and clouds, and the boundless colours of gardens. She is especially drawn to the harmony of subtle neutrals and the infinite variety within nature’s palette. To Elsa, nature is already perfect; she can only strive to express her impression of its beauty.

With an exhibition record of over 25 juried shows across North America, Elsa’s work captivates audiences far and wide. She has garnered multiple first-place awards for plein air painting as well as recognition for her figure work. Beyond her visual artistry, Elsa’s creativity extends to the written word. She has authored and illustrated an inspiring book exploring friendship and healing through the lens of walking.

Born in 1960 in Québec, Elsa’s artistic journey has taken her around the globe before finding her home on Gabriola Island, BC, in 2014. She has been a professional visual artist since 2002.