Soft Echo #17 Painting

Eleanor Rahim was born in London. Always drawing and painting as a child, she eventually went on to obtain a Foundation Course in Art and Design and a BA (Hons) Graphic Design. Since relocating to New York City in 2007, Rahim has been recognized by The Art Students League of New York and was awarded the prestigious Red Dot commendation in her first group show. In short time she gained a number of collectors. Rahim has had the privilege to study with color field abstract painter Ronnie Landfield at the League, figurative artist Jon DeMartin at the classical atelier, Grand Central Academy of Art and Rick Piloco at Chelsea Classical Studio to name a few. Rahim lives in Manhattan and works in her studio in Long Island City, Queens. I make rhythmic sense of my sometimes chaotic and visually stimulating environment and life. I want to express how I see beauty in the world from my observation of both natural and man made elements. Textures and shapes found in the city, peeling paint on an old door or fishing boat, the colors of the ocean, patterns on rugged rocks, satellite images of the earth and microscopic anatomy are typical of my inspirations. Application and subtraction of layers of paint where these elements flicker in and out of visibility, build up with time, movement, music and emotion as I travel around the painting, pouring, tilting, brushing and scraping. The painting eventually settles down into my own visual narrative. A version of reality results, stimulating the viewer’s imagination and allowing for their participation in the creative process. Motion, flow, energy, balance, grace. Those instinctive elements, apparent in my abstract paintings, are key components of my figurative works. I am fascinated by the engineering and design embodied in the human form. Continuous classical study as a foundation combined with my instinct for freedom of expression has found its way into my figurative work.