From Turnberry to Pebble Beach: How a Custom Painting Evolves
A behind-the-scenes look at how a collector’s office, an initial Turnberry concept and a shared creative conversation led to an original painting inspired by Pebble Beach’s iconic seventh hole.In
Some commissions begin with a photograph of a landscape.
This one began with a photograph of an office.
When my collector reached out, he sent me an image of the room where the finished painting would live. From there, we considered the dimensions of the wall, the existing décor and the overall feeling he wanted the artwork to bring into the space.
His original idea was a coastal golf scene inspired by Turnberry, Scotland.
It was a natural fit for my work: a dramatic shoreline, sweeping contours, ocean movement and the kind of atmospheric light that translates beautifully through a palette knife.
But as our conversation developed, we began looking closer to home—and the concept evolved toward Pebble Beach’s iconic seventh hole.
Finding the Right Inspiration
Turnberry and Pebble Beach share many of the qualities that first drew us to the idea: sculptural coastal landforms, weathered grasses, expansive ocean and a sense of the landscape opening toward the horizon.
Pebble Beach also allowed the painting to connect naturally with the California coastal subjects at the heart of my work.
The direction became clear: a refined coastal landscape with soft, luminous sky tones, muted greens, ocean blues and weathered earth colors. The fairway would be suggested through subtle shifts in value and color rather than treated as a rigid or overly literal feature.
It was still inspired by a recognizable place, but it would remain unmistakably an original Lisa Elley painting.
A Commission Is a Conversation
This evolution from Turnberry to Pebble Beach is a good example of how my commission process works.
A collector doesn’t need to arrive with every detail decided. We can begin with a room, a memory, a meaningful location, a color palette or simply a feeling they want the painting to create.
Room photographs help me understand scale and context. Fabrics, rugs and décor references can help establish a palette. Examples of my previous paintings reveal which aspects of my work the collector responds to most strongly—whether that is the color, atmosphere, composition, subject or texture.
From there, I interpret those elements through my own artistic language.
The initial photographs and visual references establish the direction, but the painting continues to evolve at the easel. Palette-knife work is physical and intuitive. Color relationships shift, texture creates movement and compositional decisions continue until the painting feels resolved.
That creative freedom is part of what makes a commission an original work of art rather than a reproduction of a photograph.
Creating a Painting for a Particular Space
The room matters, but it doesn’t dictate every decision.
My goal is to create a painting that feels deeply considered within its surroundings while remaining strong enough to stand entirely on its own.
For this office, the restrained coastal palette complements the existing interior without disappearing into it. The ocean and sweeping contours create openness, while the layers of impasto bring movement and physical presence to the wall.
Up close, the collector can see the individual palette-knife marks and shifts of color. From across the room, those marks settle into an atmospheric California coastline.
That relationship between the painting and the place where it will live is one of my favorite parts of creating commissioned work.
Commissioning an Original Painting
If you are considering an original painting for your home or office, you are welcome to begin with whatever you already have: a photograph of the room, approximate wall dimensions, a meaningful location or examples of my paintings you particularly love.
We can develop the direction together.
Send me a note with the word “Commission,” and I’ll personally send you my private Commission Guide with current pricing, sizing and details about the process.
REQUEST THE COMMISSION GUIDE →
Buying Original Art for the First Time: A Collector’s Guide
You don’t need to know everything about art. You just need to notice what you keep coming back to.
There’s a particular feeling that happens when you find a painting you love.
Maybe you’re walking through a gallery. Maybe you discover it online. Maybe you’ve been following an artist for years and one morning a new painting appears in your inbox.
And you stop.
You look at it again.
You come back later.
You start imagining where it might live.
Sometimes you can explain exactly what you love about it. Sometimes you can’t.
I’ve been painting professionally for many years, and if there’s one thing I’ve learned from the people who collect my work, it’s that the connection usually happens before the explanation.
The painting reminds them of somewhere.
It changes the way they feel.
The light catches them.
The colors do something they can’t quite articulate.
Or they simply know:
That one.
If you’re considering buying your first original painting, that instinct is a very good place to begin.
You don’t have to know anything about art to collect it
The word collector can sound intimidating.
It can conjure up galleries, auctions, art history degrees, enormous houses and people who somehow know exactly what they’re looking at.
But collecting art doesn’t have to begin that way.
If you buy an original painting because you love it, you’re collecting art.
That’s it.
You don’t need to know whether something belongs to a particular movement. You don’t need to be able to analyze the composition. And you certainly don’t need anyone else’s permission to decide whether something is good enough to live in your home.
Some of my collectors have been buying original art for decades.
Others buy their very first original painting from me.
Both are collectors.
What matters is that you’ve chosen to live with something made by another human being—something that exists only once.
Start with the painting, not the room
This might sound strange coming from an artist who frequently helps collectors choose paintings for specific spaces, but I wouldn’t begin by asking:
Does it match my sofa?
Start with:
Do I love it?
Your home will change.
Furniture gets replaced. Walls get painted. You move. Rooms get rearranged.
A painting you genuinely love can travel through all of that.
That’s not to say the room doesn’t matter. Of course it does. Scale, color and placement can make an enormous difference.
But there is a difference between a painting belonging in a room and a painting matching a room.
Some of the most successful interiors I’ve seen allow the artwork to introduce something unexpected—a stronger color, a sense of movement, a little tension, or simply a focal point that gives the room its personality.
Sometimes the art doesn’t need to match the room.
Sometimes the art makes the room.
Pay attention to what keeps pulling you back
I’ve seen this happen many times.
Someone looks at a painting.
Then they look at another.
And another.
But they keep returning to the first one.
That’s information.
Ask yourself:
Do I keep thinking about this painting?
Does it remind me of somewhere or something meaningful?
How do I feel when I look at it?
Would I be disappointed if I came back tomorrow and it had sold?
That last question can be particularly revealing.
Original paintings are different from manufactured décor because there isn’t another identical one sitting in a warehouse.
Once an original sells, that particular painting belongs to someone else’s story.
You don’t need to make an impulsive decision because of that. But if you find yourself repeatedly returning to the same piece, it’s worth paying attention.
Getting the scale right
Once you’ve found something you love, then think about the space.
One of the most common questions collectors ask me is whether a painting will be too large—or too small—for their wall.
And interestingly, people are often more afraid of going too large.
In many rooms, the opposite is the bigger problem.
A small painting floating alone on a substantial wall can feel lost. A properly scaled statement painting can anchor the entire room.
There is a very simple way to test this at home:
Use painter’s tape.
Mark the dimensions of the painting directly onto the wall. Then don’t just stand two feet away from it.
Walk into the room.
Sit on the sofa.
Look at it from the kitchen.
Walk down the hallway toward it.
See how the dimensions interact with the furniture and architecture.
For collectors considering one of my paintings, I can also create a digital room mockup using a photograph of the actual space. It can be incredibly helpful when you’re trying to visualize an existing painting at scale before purchasing.
You don’t need an enormous home
Another thing I hear occasionally is:
“I love art, but I’m running out of walls.”
Welcome to collecting.
Original art doesn’t require a mansion.
Smaller paintings can be grouped together. A little painting can completely transform an entryway, kitchen, reading corner or bedroom. Artwork can move from room to room over the years.
And you don’t necessarily have to display everything you own simultaneously.
I think there’s something lovely about rotating paintings occasionally. A piece you’ve owned for years can feel surprisingly new when it moves to another part of the house.
The goal isn’t to turn your home into a gallery.
It’s to surround yourself with things that mean something to you.
Buy the best piece you comfortably can
Original art exists at many price points.
Within my own studio, a small original and a six-foot statement painting are obviously very different investments.
You don’t have to begin with the largest painting in the room.
A smaller original by an artist you genuinely love is still an original painting.
And if you’re considering a particular work but aren’t sure about payment options, ask the artist.
Many independent artists can offer some flexibility around payment, timing, delivery or other practical considerations.
I’d much rather a collector ask me a straightforward question than assume something isn’t possible and disappear.
At the same time, art should never put you into financial distress.
The pleasure of owning the painting shouldn’t be accompanied by panic about having bought it.
Collect at the level that makes sense for your life.
What if the painting you love has already sold?
This happens frequently with original work.
You discover an artist through a painting you absolutely love—and then see the little red dot.
SOLD.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the conversation is over.
I keep an archive of sold work partly because it helps collectors understand the breadth of what I’ve painted over the years. And very often, someone commissioning a painting will show me several older pieces and explain what they respond to in each.
Maybe it’s the atmosphere of one.
The wildflowers in another.
The palette of a third.
Or perhaps it’s a particular stretch of the California coast that holds meaning for them.
Those references can become the beginning of a new commission.
I don’t reproduce previously sold paintings exactly. The original belongs to that collector.
But I can create a new painting inspired by the elements that drew you to the original—its subject, palette, mood, composition or sense of place.
The result becomes its own painting.
And yours.
A commission can also begin with a memory
Some of my favorite commissions begin not with another painting, but with a place.
A coastline someone grew up near.
A view from a honeymoon.
A family home.
A golf course carrying decades of memories.
A city on the other side of the world that still feels like home.
A collector once commissioned a large 36 × 72-inch painting celebrating his homeland of Singapore. Rather than painting one literal scene, I brought together elements that were unmistakably Singapore—the Gardens by the Bay, Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands, orchids and water lilies—into one vibrant original composition.
Another collector wanted a painting for his second home in Carmel. He loved the character of the California coast but didn’t want another predictable interpretation of the Lone Cypress. He wanted something distinctive, elegant and recognizable without being overly literal.
That’s where commissioning an artist can become particularly special.
You’re not ordering a reproduction.
You’re giving the artist the ingredients and allowing them to make something new.
Get to know the artist’s work before commissioning them
This is particularly important.
If you’re considering a commission, spend some time looking through the artist’s existing and sold work.
You should already love how they paint.
With my own commissions, I encourage collectors to browse my paintings and show me what they’re responding to.
Maybe it’s my wildflowers.
The broken color in the water.
The way I paint redwoods.
A particular coastal palette.
The thick, gestural marks made by the palette knife.
That tells me considerably more than simply saying, “I’d like a painting of Big Sur.”
My work isn’t photorealistic. I paint almost entirely with a palette knife, building oil paint into visible layers, broken color and dimensional texture.
So when someone commissions me, they’re not hiring me to reproduce a photograph.
They’re asking me to interpret something through the way I paint.
That distinction matters.
Original art looks different in person
This is something the internet simply can’t solve completely.
Photographs are enormously useful, but a screen flattens a painting.
This is especially true of heavily textured work.
My paintings change as you move around them. Palette-knife ridges catch the light differently throughout the day. Colors that look relatively uniform in a photograph may actually contain several broken colors sitting beside and over one another.
That’s one of the reasons receiving an original painting can feel so different from seeing it online.
Suddenly it has an objecthood.
You can see the hand that made it.
The imperfections.
The edges.
The thickness of the paint.
The decisions.
And over time, you begin seeing things you didn’t notice when you bought it.
Ask questions
If you’ve never purchased original art before, please don’t worry about asking the “wrong” question.
Ask about the size.
Ask whether it needs framing.
Ask how it ships.
Ask how long an oil painting needs to dry.
Ask whether the artist thinks it will work above your fireplace.
Send a photograph of the wall.
Ask about commissions.
Ask whether another size is possible.
A good artist wants you to feel confident about acquiring the work.
You don’t have to pretend you already understand how any of this works.
Give yourself permission to choose what you love
There isn’t a correct way to build an art collection.
It doesn’t have to follow one style.
It doesn’t have to impress anyone.
And it certainly doesn’t have to look like somebody else’s house.
You can collect paintings because they remind you of California.
Because you love the ocean.
Because you spent your childhood around sailboats.
Because the redwoods make you feel peaceful.
Because a ridiculous burst of orange flowers makes you happy every time you walk past it.
Or because you saw a painting and couldn’t stop thinking about it.
That’s enough.
Because ultimately, you’re the person who is going to live with it.
You’ll walk past it while carrying groceries.
You’ll see it first thing in the morning.
It will be there during dinners and celebrations and completely ordinary Tuesdays.
Eventually, you may stop consciously noticing it every time you enter the room.
But it will still be doing something.
Original art becomes part of the visual language of a life.
And perhaps that’s the simplest advice I can give someone buying their first piece:
Choose something you want to keep seeing.
Not because it’s fashionable.
Not because someone told you it’s important.
Not because it perfectly matches the room.
Choose it because something about it keeps asking you to look again.
I create original palette-knife oil paintings inspired by California, Monterey Bay, the Pacific coastline, redwood forests, working waterfronts and the places that stay with us.
Explore Available Original Paintings →
If you’ve found a sold painting you love, have a particular place in mind, or need something created specifically for your space:
And if you’d like first access to newly released paintings:
Kiwis in LA Art Show Returns to Santa Monica in October 2026
New Zealand-born California artist Lisa Elley returns to the Kiwis in LA Art Show and Wine Tasting in Santa Monica this October, exhibiting a selection of original palette knife paintings.
I’m excited to share that I’ll be exhibiting once again at the Kiwis in LA Art Show and Wine Tasting, returning to Santa Monica on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
After a seven-year hiatus, the event is returning to Santa Monica Studios 3026 at the Santa Monica Airport. The last Kiwis in LA show, held in 2019, brought together nearly 1,000 Kiwis and Angelenos for an evening celebrating New Zealand art, wine, food and entertainment.
As a New Zealand-born artist now based in California, I’ve always loved the connection this event creates between the two places that have shaped so much of my life and work. I’m delighted to be returning as a participating artist this year.
The Paintings Going to Kiwis in LA
The paintings I’ll be exhibiting are already finished and ready for the show.
Each is an original palette knife painting and reflects the textured, expressive approach that has become central to my work. I’ll share more about the individual paintings as we get closer to the exhibition.
Kiwis in LA Art Show & Wine Tasting 2026
Saturday, October 24, 2026
Gallery open from midday
Reception: 6:00–10:00pm
Santa Monica Studios 3026
3026 Airport Avenue
Santa Monica, California 90405
If you’re in Los Angeles or Southern California, I’d love to see you there.
In the meantime, you can explore my current collection of original palette knife paintings and follow along as I share more from the studio leading up to the show.
— Lisa Elley
Among the Redwoods: Two Paintings Find Their Homes
Two recent redwood paintings have found their homes. A look behind The Stillness That Made Me and Light of the Forest, and the California forests, light, texture, and quiet moments that inspired them.
There are certain subjects I return to again and again, not because I’ve run out of things to paint, but because they never seem to run out of things to say.
For me, the California redwoods are one of those subjects.
This summer, I’ve been spending more time among them—walking, observing, photographing, and paying attention to the extraordinary shifts of light and color that happen beneath the canopy. The deeper I look, the more there is to paint: warm sienna and rust in the bark, unexpected blues and violets in the shadows, flashes of green, and those beautiful moments when sunlight finds its way through the trees.
Two of my recent original redwood paintings, The Stillness That Made Me and Light of the Forest, have now found their homes with collectors, and seeing them leave the studio feels particularly meaningful.
The Stillness That Made Me | 36 × 60
At 36 × 60 inches, The Stillness That Made Me was created as an immersive piece—one that gives the viewer the feeling of stepping into the forest rather than simply looking at it.
The vertical redwood trunks allowed me to play with scale and depth, while layers of palette-knife texture created the roughness and history of the bark. Light moves quietly through the painting, appearing between the trees rather than demanding attention.
The title came from something I feel every time I return to these places.
The redwoods are spectacular, of course, but it isn't their grandeur alone that stays with me. It's their stillness.
There is something about standing beneath trees that have existed for hundreds—sometimes thousands—of years that makes the noise of everyday life seem temporarily less important.
That was the feeling I wanted this painting to hold.
Light of the Forest | 24 × 30
Light of the Forest explored the same landscape at a more intimate scale.
This 24 × 30 inch original palette knife painting was inspired by those fleeting moments when sunlight breaks through the canopy and suddenly illuminates part of the forest floor.
The painting became less about individual trees and more about the relationship between light, texture and atmosphere.
Rich earth tones run through the trunks, while cooler greens and blue-grays recede into the forest. Thick palette-knife marks catch the light across the surface, allowing the painting itself to change subtly as you move around it.
I was delighted when Light of the Forest was recently purchased by a wonderful repeat collector after I shared my latest redwood work with my email subscribers.
There is something especially lovely about knowing a painting has resonated with someone who already lives with my work.
Painting the California Redwoods
My Woodland Collection has become an ongoing exploration rather than a collection with a defined ending.
Every visit to the redwood forests gives me something different.
Sometimes it's a composition.
Sometimes it's a color combination.
Sometimes it's simply the memory of walking along a trail in complete silence and looking upward.
As a palette knife painter, I'm particularly fascinated by the physical surfaces of these landscapes. Redwood bark is layered, irregular, scarred and incredibly colorful when you really look at it. It lends itself naturally to the broken marks and heavy impasto that have become such an important part of my work.
And then there is the light.
California redwood forests can be incredibly dark, which makes the illuminated passages even more powerful. A small opening in the canopy can transform an entire scene.
That contrast is something I suspect I'll be painting for a very long time.
What’s Next From the Woodland Collection
Both The Stillness That Made Me and Light of the Forest are now sold, but I'm continuing to paint the redwoods throughout the summer.
I'm less interested in creating a series of paintings that all look alike than I am in continuing to investigate this landscape—different light, different scale, different seasons, and different ways of translating the feeling of these extraordinary forests through paint.
For collectors who would like to follow along, my email list is always the first place I share new original paintings, works fresh from the easel, and pieces that will soon be released.
For now, I'm simply enjoying being among the trees and seeing where they take the work next.
Visualize Original Art in Your Home Before You Buy
Not sure how a painting will look in your home? See how I help collectors visualize available original artwork at scale in their own space before making a decision.
Choosing the perfect painting is easier when you can see it in your own space.
One of the questions collectors often have when considering an original painting is surprisingly practical: How will it actually look in my home?
A painting can feel completely different depending on the scale of the wall, surrounding architecture, furniture, lighting, and proportions of the room. And when you’re considering an original piece, getting those details right matters.
That’s why I’m happy to create complimentary digital room mock-ups of available paintings for collectors considering a piece from my website.
See It in Your Space
Simply send me a straight-on photograph of the wall you’re considering, along with a basic measurement for scale. I can digitally place the actual painting into your room so you can get a much better sense of its size, placement, and overall presence.
It’s not intended to perfectly recreate how the painting will look in different lighting conditions. Instead, it gives you a helpful visual reference and takes some of the guesswork out of choosing art online.
From Mock-Up to Installed Painting
Below is one of my favorite examples.
A collector in Chicago was considering an original painting available on my website, so I created a digital mock-up showing the piece at scale in their home.
The first image shows that visualization. The second shows the actual painting installed after it arrived.
Seeing the two side by side is a wonderful example of how useful a simple mock-up can be. Before the painting ever left my studio, the collector could already see that the scale and placement worked beautifully in the room.
Finding the Right Painting for Your Home
Buying original art should feel exciting, and sometimes a little visualization is all it takes to feel confident about a piece.
If you’ve found an available painting you love but you’re wondering about scale or placement, send me a photograph of your space at info@lisaelley.com
I’m always happy to help you see how it might look before it makes the journey home.
Why Original Art Changes a Room More Than Furniture
Original artwork does more than decorate a room—it transforms how it feels. Discover why original paintings create warmth, personality, and lasting connection, and how custom room mock-ups make commissioning artwork simple and enjoyable.
When people think about designing a home, they usually start with the sofa, the dining table, or the perfect rug. Those pieces certainly shape a room, but in my experience, it’s the artwork that gives a space its soul.
Furniture creates function. Original art creates feeling.
It’s often the final piece that brings everything together—not because it matches the décor, but because it changes how a room feels to live in.
A Home Should Feel Like You
The most memorable homes aren’t necessarily the most expensive or perfectly designed. They’re the ones that feel personal.
Original artwork tells a story. It reflects the places you’ve traveled, the landscapes you love, or simply the colors and atmosphere that make you feel at home.
Unlike mass-produced décor, an original painting carries the hand of the artist. Every palette knife stroke, every layer of texture, and every subtle variation in color makes it completely unique.
No one else owns the same piece.
Texture Brings a Room to Life
One of the reasons I’m drawn to painting with a palette knife is the way heavy texture interacts with natural light.
Throughout the day, the painting changes.
Morning light reveals one side of the texture. Evening light catches another. The surface becomes part of the architecture of the room rather than simply something hanging on the wall.
It’s a quality that’s difficult to replicate in a print or photograph.
The Right Size Makes All the Difference
One of the biggest mistakes people make is choosing artwork that’s too small.
A painting should feel intentional. Whether it’s above a fireplace, anchoring a dining room, or creating a focal point in an entryway, scale has a remarkable impact on how a room feels.
That’s why I work closely with collectors to determine the right size before a commission begins.
Seeing It Before It’s Painted
Commissioning an original painting doesn’t have to feel uncertain.
One of the most valuable parts of my process is creating digital room mock-ups using a photograph of your space. Together we can explore different sizes and compositions before I ever pick up a palette knife.
It allows collectors to visualize exactly how the finished painting will live in their home, giving confidence that the artwork feels balanced, intentional, and perfectly suited to the space.
Investing in Something That Lasts
Original artwork is one of the few things in a home that often stays while everything else changes.
Furniture is replaced.
Paint colors evolve.
Homes are remodeled.
But a meaningful painting has a way of moving with you through different seasons of life.
Years later, it still reminds you of why you chose it in the first place.
That’s the quiet beauty of collecting original art.
Looking for the perfect painting for your space?
Browse my latest original paintings, or if you have a specific room in mind, I’d be delighted to create a custom commission designed just for your home.
www.lisaelley.com
The Greatest Compliment an Artist Can Receive
Some of the greatest compliments aren’t awards or exhibitions—they’re the collectors who come back year after year. This week, one longtime collector shared photos of his home, beautifully filled with four of my paintings collected over the past decade. It was a reminder that art doesn’t just decorate a home; it becomes part of the memories made within it.
Every now and then, I receive an email that stops me in my tracks.
This week, a longtime collector sent me photos of his home after adding another painting to his collection. As I scrolled through the images, I realized something extraordinary.
There wasn’t just one painting.
Or two.
There were four.
Each one collected over the years, each one finding its own place in the home, quietly becoming part of the family’s everyday life.
I sat there smiling.
As artists, we often think about the moment a painting leaves the studio. We carefully package it, send it off, and hope it arrives safely. We wonder where it will hang, what room it will live in, and whether it will continue to bring joy years from now.
We rarely get to see the next chapter.
Seeing these paintings together was a reminder that art doesn’t end when it’s sold. In many ways, that’s when its real story begins.
Over the past decade, I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have collectors who return again and again. Some began with a single painting for one room. Years later, another found its way into the dining room. Then a hallway. A bedroom. A vacation home. Sometimes they commission a special piece to mark a milestone. Sometimes they simply fall in love with another painting.
What humbles me most is the trust.
There are thousands of artists someone could choose from. To have someone invite my work into their home once is an honor. To have them come back year after year is something I never take for granted.
When I see several of my paintings living together in a home, I don’t just see artwork on walls.
I see birthdays celebrated beneath them.
Morning coffee.
Holiday dinners.
Quiet evenings.
Conversations with friends.
The ordinary, beautiful moments that make up a life.
Those paintings become part of the backdrop to memories that have nothing to do with me, yet somehow I’m invited to contribute a small piece to them.
That feels incredibly meaningful.
It’s also a reminder that collecting art is often a journey rather than a single purchase. Homes evolve. Families grow. Spaces change. The art collection grows alongside them, creating a thread that ties everything together.
As an artist, there is no greater compliment.
To everyone who has welcomed my work into your homes over the years—whether you own one painting or several—thank you.
Your support has allowed me to spend my days doing what I love.
More importantly, you’ve trusted me to create pieces that become part of your lives, and that is something I will never stop being grateful for.
It is, without question, one of the greatest privileges of my career.
Looking for the perfect piece for your home?
Browse my latest original California palette knife paintings, or if you’re building a collection over time, I’d love to help you find artwork that grows beautifully with your space.
Why I Created a Commercial Portfolio
Every painting begins in the studio, but its real purpose begins when it finds its place in the world.
Over the years, my work has found homes in private collections, galleries, and commissioned spaces. Along the way, I've had the privilege of working with homeowners, interior designers, and design professionals who understand that original artwork is more than a finishing touch—it's often the element that brings a room to life.
As my studio has grown, I've been thinking about how to make those collaborations easier.
That's what inspired me to create a dedicated commercial portfolio.
Rather than simply showcasing individual paintings, the portfolio offers a curated look at my work, my commission process, and the types of projects I love to collaborate on. Whether it's a luxury residence, boutique hotel, healthcare environment, corporate office, or model home, my goal is always the same: to create original artwork that brings warmth, texture, light, and a lasting sense of place.
Every project is unique, and I enjoy working closely with designers, architects, developers, and art consultants to create artwork that complements the vision of a space while standing beautifully on its own.
I believe original art has the power to transform an environment. It can soften a room, create a focal point, evoke a sense of calm, or simply become something people enjoy living with every day. Those are the kinds of spaces I hope my paintings become part of.
As I continue expanding my commercial work, I'm excited to build new relationships with the design community and collaborate on projects where original art can make a meaningful impact.
Let's Connect
If you're an interior designer, architect, developer, hospitality professional, healthcare designer, or art consultant looking for original California-inspired artwork for an upcoming project, I'd love to hear from you.
Feel free to get in touch to request my commercial portfolio or discuss a commission. I look forward to exploring how we can create something exceptional together.
Why Palette Knife Paintings Feel Different
Palette knife paintings offer something photographs can never fully capture—rich texture, expressive movement, and a surface that changes beautifully as the light shifts throughout the day. Discover why this timeless painting technique continues to captivate collectors and bring extraordinary depth to contemporary interiors.
If you've ever stood in front of an original palette knife painting, you've probably noticed something photographs can't quite capture.
It's the texture.
Rather than applying paint with a brush, palette knife artists build paintings using flexible steel knives that layer rich acrylic or oil paint across the canvas. The result is a surface with remarkable depth and movement.
Texture That Changes with the Light
Throughout the day, sunlight catches the peaks and valleys of the paint differently.
Morning light reveals one side of the painting.
Evening light reveals another.
This changing surface gives original artwork a sense of life that flat reproductions simply cannot duplicate.
Every Mark Is Intentional
Palette knife painting encourages confidence.
Each stroke leaves behind a physical record of movement and energy that can't easily be erased. This creates expressive landscapes that feel fresh, spontaneous, and full of personality.
No Two Paintings Are Ever the Same
Heavy impasto means every painting has its own unique surface.
Even if two scenes are similar, the texture, rhythm, and layers make every original completely one of a kind.
Bringing Dimension into Your Home
Collectors often tell me that photographs don't prepare them for seeing the painting in person.
It's the physical texture—the ridges, layers, and sculptural quality—that creates the biggest surprise.
That tactile quality is one of the reasons palette knife paintings have remained beloved by collectors for generations.
Browse Lisa Elley's original palette knife paintings inspired by the California coast.
Why California Poppies Never Go Out of Style
From sunlit coastal bluffs to rolling hillsides, California poppies have become one of the state's most enduring symbols. Their vibrant color, effortless beauty, and timeless connection to the landscape continue to inspire collectors and artists alike. Discover why these iconic blooms never go out of style—and why they remain a beloved subject in California coastal art.
Few flowers are as closely connected to California as the golden poppy.
From coastal hillsides to mountain meadows, these vibrant blooms have become a symbol of optimism, sunshine, and the natural beauty of the West Coast.
It's no surprise they've remained one of the most enduring subjects in California art.
A Symbol of California
As California's official state flower, the poppy represents resilience, joy, and the changing seasons.
Whether blooming beside dramatic cliffs or scattered across rolling hills, they immediately evoke a sense of place.
Color That Feels Timeless
The warm golds and oranges of poppies naturally complement many interior styles.
They work beautifully in coastal homes, contemporary spaces, traditional interiors, and modern farmhouse design alike.
Their cheerful color brings warmth without overwhelming a room.
More Than Just Flowers
In many landscapes, poppies act as visual rhythm rather than the main subject.
They guide the eye across the painting, creating movement while allowing the surrounding ocean, sky, and hills to breathe.
It's this balance that keeps them feeling elegant rather than overly decorative.
Bringing California Home
For many collectors, poppy paintings represent favorite travels, cherished memories, or simply a love of the California landscape.
They offer a daily reminder of sunshine, open skies, and the beauty found along the Pacific coast.
Some subjects come and go with design trends.
California poppies have endured for generations—and they're likely to continue inspiring artists and collectors for many more.
Collecting California Coastal Art: A Guide to Choosing Artwork You'll Love for Years
California coastal art captures more than beautiful scenery—it evokes a feeling of calm, light, and connection to the places we love most. Whether you're purchasing your first original painting or adding to a growing collection, discover how to choose artwork you'll enjoy for years to come.
There is something timeless about California coastal art. Whether it's the rugged cliffs of Big Sur, peaceful harbors along Monterey Bay, or fields of wildflowers overlooking the Pacific, coastal landscapes have a remarkable ability to bring a sense of calm into a home.
Unlike trends that come and go, coastal artwork celebrates places that continue to inspire generation after generation.
Choose Art That Creates a Feeling
Many people begin by asking what colors will match their room.
A better question is: How do you want your home to feel?
A painting should do more than fill a wall. It should invite you into a moment—a peaceful morning at the marina, the warmth of golden light on the water, or the quiet beauty of wildflowers along the coast.
When you choose artwork that creates an emotional connection, it becomes something you'll enjoy for decades.
Consider Scale
One of the biggest mistakes collectors make is choosing artwork that's too small.
Larger paintings create presence and allow the landscape to breathe. A statement piece over a sofa, fireplace, or dining table often has far more impact than several smaller pieces competing for attention.
Texture Matters
Original paintings offer something that reproductions simply can't replicate.
Palette knife paintings create sculptural texture that changes throughout the day as natural light moves across the surface. Every angle reveals new details, making the artwork feel alive within the space.
Invest in What You Love
Artwork isn't only an investment in a home—it's an investment in your daily experience.
The best collections aren't built around trends. They're built around pieces that continue to bring joy every time you walk into the room.
If a painting makes you pause today, chances are it will continue to do so for years to come.
How to Choose Original Art for a Living Room
Original artwork has the power to completely transform a living room. More than simply filling a blank wall, it creates atmosphere, reflects your personality, and often becomes the focal point of the entire space.
Whether you’re purchasing your very first original painting or adding to an established collection, choosing the right artwork is about finding a piece that makes you feel something every time you walk into the room.
Start with the Feeling You Want to Create
Before thinking about colors or sizes, ask yourself one simple question:
How do I want this room to feel?
Do you want your living room to feel:
Calm and peaceful?
Bright and uplifting?
Sophisticated and elegant?
Warm and inviting?
The artwork you choose sets the emotional tone for the space.
As a California coastal artist, I’m continually inspired by the ocean, wildflowers, sailboats, and changing coastal light because these landscapes naturally evoke a sense of calm, openness, and connection to nature.
Browse my collection of California coastal paintings here:
Choose the Right Size
One of the biggest mistakes people make is choosing artwork that’s too small.
A large statement painting can anchor an entire room, especially above:
a sofa
fireplace
console table
dining sideboard
As a general guide:
Small pieces (10–16”) work beautifully on shelves or in gallery walls.
Medium works (24–36”) suit most living rooms.
Large statement paintings (40”+) create dramatic focal points and often become the centerpiece of a space.
If you’re unsure, it’s always better to go slightly larger than you think.
Let the Artwork Lead the Color Palette
Many people believe artwork has to match their décor perfectly.
I actually recommend the opposite.
Choose a painting you genuinely love first, then let it inspire small accents throughout the room…perhaps a cushion, vase, throw, or rug that echoes one or two colors from the artwork.
This creates a home that feels curated rather than coordinated.
Buy What You Love
Trends come and go.
The best original paintings are the ones that continue to make you pause years later.
When you connect emotionally with a piece, you’ll notice new details every day, such as; changing light, texture, brushwork, and subtle color shifts that simply don’t exist in mass-produced prints.
That’s one of the joys of living with original art.
Texture Changes Everything
One of the things collectors often comment on is how different an original painting feels in person.
My paintings are created entirely with a palette knife, building rich layers of oil paint that catch natural light throughout the day. As the light changes, the painting changes with it, creating depth and movement that photographs can only hint at.
If you’d like to learn more about this process, read:
Why Palette Knife Paintings Feel Different
Think Long-Term
Original art isn’t just decoration.
It becomes part of your family’s story.
Years from now, you’ll remember where you found it, why it spoke to you, and the home it has lived in.
That’s something a mass-produced print simply can’t offer.
Explore the Collection
If you’re looking for an original painting inspired by the California coast, you’ll find a curated collection of coastal landscapes, sailboats, and vibrant poppy paintings on my website.
You may also enjoy:
Waterfront Collection – A joyful celebration of spring along the California coastline.
Sea, Sand & Sky Collection – Original palette knife paintings inspired by California’s breathtaking coastline.
Looking for the Perfect Piece?
Whether you’re searching for a statement painting above the sofa or a smaller original to brighten a favorite corner, I’d love to help you find the right artwork for your home.
Browse my available original paintings, or join my email list to receive first access to new releases, studio updates, and collector previews.
→ View Available Original Paintings
→ Join the Collector Email List
Summer on San Francisco Bay
Last week, I made a special trip to San Francisco to hand-deliver one of my paintings, Morning at the Marina, to a lovely collector in the Marina District. One of the unexpected joys of being an artist is occasionally seeing where a painting will live and imagining the quiet moments it may become part of in its new home.
Before heading back down the coast, I decided to linger a little longer in the city and made my way to the St. Francis Yacht Club overlooking Crissy Field and the Golden Gate Bridge.
It was one of those quintessential San Francisco afternoons.
A soft blue haze settled over the bridge and the Marin Headlands, gently blurring the horizon. Sailboats moved quietly across the bay, their white sails catching the changing light as they passed beneath the iconic orange span. The water shifted from deep blue to silver with each passing cloud, and there was a sense of movement and possibility everywhere you looked.
I could have sat there for hours.
I’ve always been drawn to the activity on San Francisco Bay. There is something endlessly captivating about the choreography of the sailboats, the changing weather, and the way the city and nature coexist so beautifully in one place. No two visits are ever the same. The light changes by the minute, and every shift creates an entirely new mood.
These moments continue to inspire my ongoing sailboat collection and many of my coastal paintings. While I often return home with photographs, what stays with me most is the feeling of being there—the cool air off the water, the soft haze in the distance, and the quiet elegance of watching sailboats glide across one of the world’s most beautiful bays.
It is these fleeting moments of atmosphere, movement, and light that continually draw me back to the California coast and, ultimately, back to the easel.
Why Coastal Art Feels Timeless in Modern Homes
There is something about the coast that never goes out of style.
Long before “coastal” became an interior design trend, people were drawn to the sea for its sense of openness, calm, and possibility. Whether it’s a misty harbor at dawn, the rhythmic movement of waves, or sunlight dancing across reflective water, coastal scenes have a unique ability to make us exhale.
As an artist living and working along California’s Central Coast, I’ve seen firsthand how original California Coastal Oil Paintings can completely transform a space—not simply by decorating it, but by changing the way a room feels.
The Coast Gives Us Room to Breathe
One reason coastal art remains timeless is that it naturally creates a sense of spaciousness.
Open horizons, expansive skies, and reflective water invite the eye to travel outward. Even in smaller rooms, coastal paintings can create a feeling of depth and visual breathing room.
This is why so many collectors choose coastal artwork for:
Living rooms
Bedrooms
Entryways
Vacation homes
Coastal-inspired interiors
Spaces designed for relaxation and connection
A large seascape or waterfront painting often brings a sense of quiet that busy, highly detailed artwork cannot.
If you’re looking for statement artwork, explore my collection of large original coastal paintings inspired by Monterey Bay and California’s rugged coastline.
Water Has a Naturally Calming Effect
There is a reason so many people feel their nervous systems settle near the ocean.
Water has an inherently restorative quality. Reflections, gentle movement, and soft atmospheric light all contribute to feelings of peace and calm.
In my own work, I am continually drawn to reflective water paintings because they possess a unique stillness. Reflections slow us down. They encourage us to pause and observe.
Many collectors tell me that the paintings they return to most often are the ones that make them feel something—not excitement or stimulation, but peace.
Coastal art often does exactly that.
Coastal Paintings Work With Many Design Styles
One of the reasons coastal artwork has remained popular for generations is its versatility.
Original coastal oil paintings can complement:
Contemporary interiors
Modern organic spaces
Traditional homes
California casual design
Transitional interiors
Luxury waterfront homes
Soft blues, mineral tones, sandy neutrals, and atmospheric grays pair beautifully with a wide variety of materials, including wood, linen, stone, and natural textures.
Rather than competing with a room, coastal paintings often help unify it.
If you’re unsure what size artwork works best for your room, visit my Collector Resources and learn how to choose the right size artwork for your home.
Coastal Art Connects Us to Place
For many collectors, coastal paintings evoke memories.
Perhaps it’s a favorite beach, a family vacation, a morning spent by the water, or simply a longing for open spaces and slower rhythms.
I paint many scenes inspired by Monterey Bay, Moss Landing, Carmel, and Big Sur because these places possess an extraordinary sense of atmosphere.
The changing light, reflective harbors, rugged coastline, and working waterfronts all tell stories.
No two days ever look the same.
That sense of place is what makes original art so meaningful. It allows us to bring not just an image into our homes, but an experience.
Large Coastal Paintings Create Lasting Focal Points
One of my favorite things about creating large-scale coastal paintings is seeing how they transform a room.
A statement piece above a sofa, fireplace, or dining table can anchor an entire interior.
Large original paintings often become conversation pieces, but they also become emotional touchstones—artwork that people live with, grow attached to, and continue discovering over time.
This is especially true of highly textured oil paintings. As light changes throughout the day, the painting changes with it.
The artwork becomes a living part of the home.
If you’re considering a statement piece, read my guide on how to choose the right size painting for your home and browse my collection of large-scale coastal paintings.
Why I Continue to Paint the Coast
After years of painting California’s coast, I still find myself returning to the same themes:
Light.
Water.
Atmosphere.
Reflections.
The coast teaches us that beauty can be both powerful and quiet.
Perhaps that is why coastal art has endured for generations and why it continues to resonate in modern homes today. It reminds us to slow down, look outward, and reconnect with something larger than ourselves.
For me, every painting is ultimately an invitation—to pause, breathe, and experience a small piece of California’s coast, wherever you happen to live.
The coast continually inspires my collections of working waterfront paintings, sea-and-sky paintings, and luminous reflections.
To learn more about my process and the places that inspire my work, visit About the Artist and discover why I paint the California coast.
Explore More
• California Coastal Oil Paintings
• Working Waterfront Collection
Turquoise Tides 36×72”
Painting California’s Harbors, Sailboats, and Waterfronts
There are certain subjects I return to again and again.
Not because I’m searching for something new, but because they continue to reveal something different each time I paint them.
For me, those places are found along the California coast.
From Monterey Bay and Moss Landing to quiet harbors, working waterfronts, sailboats, fishing boats, and the ever-changing light that moves across the Pacific, these landscapes have become a constant source of inspiration for my work.
As a California coastal artist, I create original palette knife oil paintings that explore atmosphere, reflection, texture, and a sense of place. While the subject matter may vary—from sailboats gliding across still water to weathered fishing vessels resting in a harbor—the thread connecting the work is always light.
I am especially fascinated by reflections.
Water transforms ordinary scenes into something unexpected. A sailboat becomes a pattern of color and movement. Harbor lights stretch across the surface. Working boats, marina structures, and coastal landscapes dissolve into abstract shapes before resolving themselves again.
Many of my recent paintings have been inspired by what I think of as “Life on the Water”—the rhythm of coastal communities, the movement of boats, the beauty of working harbors, and the relationship between land and sea.
Living and painting in the Monterey Bay area gives me endless opportunities to observe these moments. Early morning visits to marinas, drives along the coast, plein air sketches, and time spent watching changing weather all find their way back into the studio.
My paintings are built slowly through layers of oil paint applied with a palette knife. Thick texture, visible mark-making, and a physical surface are central to the finished work. I want each painting to feel less like a photograph and more like a memory of a place.
Whether I’m painting a sailboat crossing San Francisco Bay, a fishing vessel in Moss Landing, a harbor reflection at sunrise, or a coastal landscape overlooking the Pacific, my goal remains the same: to capture the feeling of being there.
These subjects continue to inspire me because they combine everything I love about painting—light, movement, atmosphere, texture, and the enduring beauty of California’s coastline.
They remind me why I paint in the first place.
Fine Art Canvas Prints: My Long-Term Partnership with iCanvas
Over the years, I’ve partnered with iCanvas to offer fine art canvas prints of my original oil paintings.
As a palette knife artist known for heavy texture and layered color, translating my work into print is something I take seriously. Not all canvas prints capture the depth, movement, and tonal balance of an original painting.
That’s why this partnership has always come down to one thing:
quality reproduction.
Translating Original Paintings into Canvas Prints
My work is created with thick oil paint, applied using a palette knife. The texture is part of the experience, something collectors often respond to immediately.
When creating art prints from original paintings, the goal is not just to replicate the image, but to preserve:
color accuracy
depth and contrast
the overall feeling of the piece
iCanvas specializes in producing high-quality canvas prints that stay true to the original artwork. Over time, I’ve seen a consistency in how my work is translated, which is essential when offering prints to collectors.
Why Canvas Prints Matter for Collectors
While original paintings remain the heart of my work, fine art prints offer a more accessible way to collect.
For many people, canvas wall art allows them to:
bring original artwork into their home at a different price point
build a collection over time
explore an artist’s work before investing in an original
High-quality giclée canvas prints, like those produced by iCanvas, ensure that the integrity of the artwork is maintained.
A Trusted Art Licensing Partnership
Working with an established platform like iCanvas has allowed my work to reach a broader audience through licensed art prints.
As my business has evolved, I’ve become more intentional about where I focus my time and energy. What has remained important is partnering with companies that:
value the artist’s work
prioritize print quality
present the artwork professionally
That alignment is what makes a long-term collaboration sustainable.
Balancing Originals and Prints
My primary focus will always be creating original paintings in the studio.
Canvas prints are not a replacement, they are an extension.
They allow the work to exist in more spaces, while the originals continue to hold their unique presence and texture.
When done well, fine art reproduction supports both the artist and the collector.
Final Thoughts on Fine Art Prints
Offering canvas prints of original artwork is a way to make art more widely available without compromising quality.
It’s always rewarding to see a piece take on a new life beyond the studio, especially when it’s reproduced with care.
If you’re exploring fine art prints or canvas wall art, quality matters. The right print should feel as close as possible to the original, both visually and emotionally.
You can view my icanvas profile here:
Introducing Sea, Sand & Sky
Over the past few weeks in the studio, something has shifted.
The coastline in my work has widened. The compositions have become more structural. The cliffs feel less rendered and more architectural, built in planes rather than described in detail. Light is carrying more of the composition. Color is still present, but it’s restrained, held within stronger forms.
This new body of work, Sea, Sand & Sky, marks a quiet expansion in my practice.
It isn’t a dramatic pivot. It’s a refinement.
For years, florals and saturated foregrounds were central to my coastal landscapes. They brought joy, movement, and brightness to the edge of the sea. In this series, I’m allowing more air into the paintings. The horizon breathes. The cliffs hold their own weight. The surface shows its joins.
There’s something honest about that.
The palette knife has become more blocky, more decisive. Edges are visible. Layers are built, scraped back, rebuilt again. The work is not seamless, and I don’t want it to be. There’s strength in allowing structure to show.
This series explores:
Architecture within nature
Light as structure rather than decoration
Expansion through restraint
Forward motion without frenzy
One recent painting includes softened California poppies in the foreground, likely the only floral in this new direction. It feels like a bridge between what has been and what’s unfolding.
I’ve shared a long-form studio video of that piece, paired with a reflective voice recording about this transition. You can watch it here:
The full Sea, Sand & Sky collection will be released later this spring.
Thank you for following along as the work evolves.
Lisa
My New Spring Floral Collection
These are a few recent paintings from the studio as I begin working into my spring florals.
I’ve been slowing things down and spending more time with each piece, paying attention to palette, surface, and how the paint is actually behaving. Rather than pushing toward finished statements, I’m letting the work unfold more gradually and seeing what happens when I give it a little more space.
I’m also refining the palette in a quieter way. Fewer colors, more subtle shifts, and a focus on how texture and movement can carry the painting without needing much else. It feels thoughtful and unhurried, and that feels right for where the work is headed.
I’ll continue adding to this as the collection develops.
Books for the Season After Striving
What I’m recommending now, and why
Over the past year, I’ve noticed something shift in what I’m drawn to read and listen to.
I’m no longer looking for books that promise transformation, breakthroughs, or a better version of myself waiting somewhere in the future. I’ve read those. I’ve lived those. And while they had their place, they’re not what I need now.
What I’m drawn to instead are books that support presence, emotional maturity, and life as it’s actually lived, relationships, creativity, uncertainty, and the quiet work of being human without constant self-improvement.
I was recently asked for Audible recommendations around mindfulness and relationships, and it made me realize I’ve quietly built a small internal list of books that feel deeply aligned with this phase.
Here are a few I genuinely recommend, not as prescriptions, but as companions.
Grounded Presence & Nervous System Regulation
These are books I return to when I want to feel settled, not motivated.
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
A compassionate, steady exploration of what it means to stop fighting ourselves. This book is deeply regulating, less about insight and more about kindness toward what’s already here.
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön
A classic for a reason. Honest, practical, and comforting when life feels uncertain. Not about fixing anything, more about staying present when we don’t have answers.
Being Peace by Thich Nhat Hanh
Simple, embodied mindfulness. Beautiful to listen to on walks or quiet mornings. Nothing flashy, just reminders of how to inhabit the moment gently.
Relationships Without Fantasy or Collapse
These books approach love and connection with sobriety, responsibility, and care, not drama.
The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Old-school and surprisingly relevant. Explores love as discipline, honesty, and growth, not chemistry alone.
All About Love by bell hooks
A clear-eyed look at love as an active practice of care, respect, and responsibility. Grounded, thoughtful, and deeply human.
Attached by Amir Levine & Rachel Heller
Practical and clarifying. Helpful for understanding relational patterns without self-blame or over-analysis.
Creativity, Identity & Self-Trust
For artists, founders, and anyone returning to creativity without pressure.
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
One of the most aligned books I’ve read recently. About creating from presence rather than performance. Quiet, spacious, and wise.
Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert
Encouraging without being pushy. Especially helpful for creatives recovering from burnout or perfectionism.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield
Short, direct, and clarifying. Less spiritual, more practical, useful for cutting through resistance without drama.
Integration After Awakening or Healing
These are for the phase after the big insights.
After the Ecstasy, the Laundry by Jack Kornfield
This one fits this season exactly. About living well after insight, relationships, work, family, and ordinary life.
A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
Less about transcendence, more about loosening identity and living with presence in daily moments.
Twelve Years of Trust: A Reflection on My Journey with UGallery
Longevity is one of the rarest currencies in the art world.
Trends move quickly. Platforms change. Attention shifts.
What lasts, truly lasts, is built on trust, patience, and the willingness to grow together over time.
This week, UGallery published a feature interview about my work, my process, my history, and the way texture and landscape have shaped my artistic language.
You can read the full article here:
👉 https://www.ugallery.com/blogs/artist-interviews/lisa-elley
As I read it, what struck me most wasn’t seeing my own words reflected back, it was realizing how rare a 12-year partnership truly is in the art world.
UGallery and I began working together over a decade ago, long before social media algorithms, constant content cycles, or overnight success stories became the norm. Over the years, my life has changed in real ways, raising children, relocating studios, evolving my work, weathering economic shifts, and continuing to show up to the canvas day after day.
Through all of it, this partnership has remained steady.
That kind of longevity doesn’t come from hype.
It comes from trust.
Trust in the work.
Trust in the artist’s evolution.
Trust that a career can be built slowly, honestly, and with integrity.
The interview touches on many parts of my process, my palette-knife technique, my love of California landscapes, my travels, and the way texture has become my primary language. But what is subtext, is the quiet, unglamorous consistency behind the scenes.
The thousands of hours alone in the studio.
The seasons of refinement.
The willingness to let the work mature alongside the person making it.
That’s what a long partnership holds space for.
I’m deeply grateful to UGallery for continuing to support artists not just at a moment in time, but across the arc of a career. Being featured after twelve years doesn’t feel like a peak, it feels like a marker of continuity.
And continuity, in a creative life, is everything.
If you’d like to browse my exclusively represented portfolio on Ugallery, tap the link below
👉 https://www.ugallery.com/pages/lisa-elley
Lisa
