A few years ago, I started following an artist on Instagram because I instantly fell in love with her work. Over the past few years, I’ve followed her progress and notice that we share a love of Supernatural, Once Upon A Time, and Carrie Fisher, among other things. I am ecstatic to introduce our followers to Elizabeth Hope and her artwork, and I hope you fall in love with her art the way that I have. –The Collectress

The Collective: What sparked your interest in art? 

Elizabeth: Art is something that’s just always seemed to be a part of my life! It was always my favorite subject in school, I was always drawing on all of my class notes, and it’s been the one constant in my life over the years. Art helps me understand myself and the world, and looking back I think I’ve always used it to process my life, whether I realized it or not.

TC:  I’ve obsessively followed your art on social media for a few years now, and I’m always awed and inspired by your portraiture and the raw emotions that are conveyed in your pieces. What inspires you? Does your object of inspiration also inspire the medium that you choose to create with? 

E: Thank you so much! I’m inspired by a lot of different things, but it always comes back to emotions. So whether it’s a line in a book or the look on a person’s face for a split second in a TV show or a scent that brings back a memory, it’s the feelings that are conjured up that I have to capture. And then often the object of my inspiration also inspires the medium, too. For example, for most of my moody, “big feelings” pieces I automatically go for oil paints because they’re bold and thick and painting with them is a very physical process.

TC: Your upcoming series “Sexy September” (btw I LOVE that name) is all about inspiring body positivity and confidence. What brought about your interest in this series, and what message do you hope it inspires in your followers? [Note from the author: this series is now currently being posted on Instagram!]

E: Sexy September started because of a random mix of figure commissions, conversations with friends, and boudoir shoots, including one of my own! I just love my friends that have hyped me up and helped me love myself more, and I’d love to help other people feel the same way. And bonus: who doesn’t like nude art? 😉 haha But seriously, I’d love for my followers to see these pieces and see themselves in the pieces and hopefully see their bodies as beautiful (because they ARE) and become more confident in their own skin!

TC:  I know you do a fair amount of conceptual art, but you also post many pieces on Instagram that are fandom-inspired. I have to ask: do you have a favorite fandom to draw/paint? Or is it more about what you are drawn to at the moment?

E: Usually it’s just what I’m drawn to at the time, but I will always, always, always come back to Star Wars and Leia Organa and Carrie Fisher. No shame. Haha.

TC: 2020 has been a difficult year for everyone. How has this changed how you approach your artwork and creativity?

E: Between the lockdown and breaking my foot earlier this year and everything else that’s been going on, my creativity and productivity have been at an all time low this year. Honestly, the first five months of 2020 were just…bad. Things have been getting better over the past few months, but I’ve had to learn how to show myself grace — much easier said than done, unfortunately haha I know, though, that if I push through instead of giving myself time and space, then things just end up worse for me in the long run. So I focus on my mental and physical health (which are definitely linked for me), and that ends up helping my creativity! I’ve also added a lot more structure to how I approach my art and creative time, and that really helps since so much of the rest of life is unstructured right now.

TC: And, lastly, where can people find your work on the interwebs?

E: People can find my work on Instagram (@artistshope), my Patreon page (www.patreon.com/elizabethhope), and my website (art.byelizabethhope.com)!