One of the Pioneers of 3-D Street Painting
by Rod Tryon
When I moved to
I've met many great street painters and many good friends at I Madonnari, but one person that stands out in my memory is Elise McConnell. Elise was one of the first artists I ever saw who utilized 3-D (anamorphic) perspective in her street paintings. I was very curious and asked her many questions about the process. She was always genuinely interested and very helpful.
Street Painting by Elise McConnell: A Bali Tiger stands in the "pit of extinction". An endangered
Elise would make a point of starting to work on her street paintings as soon as the sun came up, so she could spend time during the middle of the day talking to onlookers about the piece and helping other artists with questions. She loved to interact with the audience and discuss the art form. One of her favorite discussions was when people would question the fact that she put so much time and effort into something that was quickly going to be gone. She explained that street painting is the perfect metaphor for living the process; that the journey is just as important and maybe more important than the finished product. The ephemeral nature of the art form makes it even more intriguing.
Another big influence Elise had on me was her love of animals. She was a strong advocate of helping endangered species and often put them in her street paintings. I now do a large percentage of my street painting images involving animals. I like to think I am in some way carrying on the message Elise loved to portray.
Elise left us far too early. She fought cancer for a long time, but lost the battle late in the 1990's. In her short time with us, she made a huge impression and graced us with some amazing art. I hope she is looking down and smiling on those of us who are continuing the art form she loved so much.
Street Painting by Elise McConnell: Elise depicted Father Virgil Cordano from the Santa Barbara Mission (a big supporter of the I Madonnari street painting festival) holding an American eagle and a California condor while numerous other endangered species gather around him. Created in 1995.
Street Painting by Elise McConnell: One of Elise's earlier 3-D paintings, shows a dragon coming up out of a hole in the pavement. Created in 1988 (the year of the dragon).