My name is Leigh Elise, and I draw the things that go bump in the night.

Ever since I was little, I've adored ghost stories. Rather than focusing on fiction, however, my favorites have always been of the "true" variety: historical accounts of old tragedies, where either the violence or sorrow was so great, it seems to have left a physical memory behind.

As I grew up, I began to notice the similarities among the real ghosts I loved -- there is Alice, in the South Carolina marshes. Emily, in a Vermont covered bridge. The Green Lady, of Fyvie Castle, Scotland. Anne Boleyn, at the Tower of London. All are beautiful, all are tragic, and all are terrifying.

In college, I majored in literature, and took the opportunity to delve deeper into the shadowy world of ghost stories. It occurred to me that the way we imagine our spirits is a larger reflection of how we imagine death. A ghost's beauty is both compelling and repellent, tempting and terrifying. In the same way that Frosts' woods were "lovely, dark, and deep," the ghosts of our literature embody an exquisite terror, to which we are innately drawn, and mortally terrified.

I love the duality of our spirits, and this is what I attempt to capture in Drawing Ghosts. By merging the nostalgic with the modern, the dark with the light, and the raw with the refined, I try to provide form for something that is invisible. And I try to do justice to our modern folklore by making each piece as lovely as it is haunting.

But it's not all spirits and spectres; in addition to Apparitions (which contain the ghosts and their stories), I've also provided some non-haunted galleries. First, there is the Arboretum, which is a collection of trees, each with its own quiet personality. In The Lovely Eccentrics, I take a single glimpse of what looks like a fantastic story, featuring a protagonist who is just a bit unusual. My love for the whimsical comes out in that series, but it is also present in my section of ACEOs, which are tiny works of art. And finally, and with no creativity at all, the Assortment features all of those pieces that don't fit anywhere else.

Drawing Ghosts is truly an experiment for me. My previous work has been shown in galleries, sold in boutiques, and collected by people all over the world; the pieces showcased here, however, are all new. They mark the final result of many years of dabbling in various mediums and styles; here, I feel like I have finally found my voice, and I am able to incorporate all of the elements I love in one place. With these pieces, I am finally satisfied.

Turning to the technical, each painting is constructed from a variety of materials, including the pages of vintage books, antique photographs, found objects and decorative papers. I also use acrylic paints, pen and inks, graphite, oil crayons, and gouache. I work on paper, canvas, wood, and anything else that looks intriguing. I am a terrible planner, so I never know what I am painting when I begin. Finally, although I am primarily a self-taught artist, I have performed extensive research into the methods and materials I use to ensure that my artwork is both archival and of the highest quality.

And, I believe that's it. I want to thank you so much for viewing my art. I hope that it whispers to you of something lost, and something lovely. And I hope that it makes you smile just a little the next time you hear something go bump in the night.

Leigh Elise
2007