Elisabeth Ladwig on Science, Nature and Magic

By Carlie Currier

Elisabeth Ladwig is a conceptual photographer, or photographic artist. Her artwork, often mistaken for paintings, are created from original photographs. Elisabeth began as a graphic designer then later merged her career with her interest in collage art. The subject matter is a manifestation of her interpretations of the world through both observation and study.

“Since childhood, I have pretty much synonymized science, nature, and magic,” Elisabeth said. “But what I noticed early on is that, out in society, all the mystery seems to get stripped away once we've found a hard algorithm for something. This always made me sad. I want to view the world with fascination and wonder, so my hope is that my art inspires others to make a habit of seeing just how incredible the world is.”

Once Upon a Time

Elisabeth claims to do things backwards, in the sense that she won’t take an idea or personal experience and create a piece of art about it. Instead, the visual idea for the artwork comes first. Only after she has started working on it, and often not until it’s completed, is she able to sit back and analyze the significance.

“I let the art tell the stories. Of course, what I see isn’t always what someone else sees. Everyone will find a different story, and that’s what I love about it.

Her top selling piece, Once Upon a Time is featured in the Nov-Dec issue of Spirituality & Health magazine. Other fan favorites in her portfolio include, “When Life Hands You Lemons”, “Walk with Me”, “Underhill Road”, and “End of the Earth”. She attributes their popularity to the sense of joy that they bring out in people, in a world where joy often gets left behind to collect dust. “Catching the Light”, “The Writer”, and the “Dryad of Nurture” are also artworks that get regular attention. ”

Elisabeth’s pieces make great gifts, and come in various size prints. The beauty of her work is that it fosters a sense of intrigue and mystery about the world, strengthening the connection we each have with nature, with others, and with ourselves.

End of The Earth

Gift

Although she doesn’t have a personal favorite, she’s drawn to her more still, quiet pieces, such as “Gift”, “Kingdom of Old”, “Healing”, and “Permission”.

“There is a mystery in [my art’s] stillness that is awe-inspiring to me, like an ancient wisdom whispering so softly that your only choice is to become equally still yourself,” Elisabeth said. “We don’t listen much these days. Listening and observing from a curious place – and using all of our senses to do so – is a wonderful exercise to stay connected. It’s one thing to go out and observe Nature from an outsider’s perspective; it’s quite another to really allow yourself to become part of what you’re observing, to feel immersed in and compassionate about the bigger picture.”

Dryad of Kinship

Many of her pieces like, The Chakras, No More Games, Fly, The Caged Bird, The Dryad of Self-Empowerment, and Where the Wind Blows, are just some that touch on the idea of making conscious choices to shift our perception, inviting us to see beyond the superficial walls we’ve built around ourselves so that we might embrace a happier life.

Both Dryad of Death and Rebirth, and Dryad of Renewal were included in Mind Key's second, full-color, glossy anthology, Yin and Yang: The Duality of Balance, a great gift idea for anyone looking to venture on the path of intrigue and self discovery.

“Thing is, we don’t have to know how we'll get there,” Elisabeth said. “All we need to figure out is the first step... then the next, and the next… eventually, you get into a rhythm and the path becomes clearer.”

Her exceptional artwork, “The Dryad of Kinship,” merges with Mind Key’s December theme of staying connected with others, and those they love.

Although Elisabeth typically requires 2 to 3 weeks for delivery of unframed pieces and longer for framed pieces, if ordered early enough, in-stock pieces can be delivered by Christmas for a fabulous and connected gift idea. Visit her website www.elisabethonearth.com to see all of her art, exhibitions, and to purchase.