Born and raised in scenic North Wales, Elysia Gilman is an artist who primarily works in oil paint to create vivid portraits, dynamic sporting and street scenes and other figurative work. She is inspired by the impressionists, using confident brushstrokes and expressive marks to create pieces which encapsulate a moment in time. She enjoys sketching from life and has had her artwork featured on Sky TV, ITV Wales and BBC News, as well as a piece displayed on a digital billboard in Times Square, New York.

“Art is my passion. Painting has always filled me with joy and stems from an innate need to create.
From a young age, my family could see a clear love for art – I would spend hours painting and I would use anything I could get my hands on to try and create something new.”

By the age of 17, Elysia had won 1st prize in the national MOMA Machynlleth Tabernacle Art Competition and, whilst studying A Level Art,
she completed commissions for both her art teacher and former headmaster. After leaving school in 2018 and successfully completing the foundation phase of her Fine Art Degree, Elysia took the step of going it alone after the coronavirus threatened to disrupt the rest of her course; starting up her own art business during a time of change.

“I always knew I wanted to be an artist, so I moved back home during lockdown 2020 to pursue my passion, and I am still doing what I love! I have a range of subject matter but I’m always fascinated by light, colour and capturing a snapshot in time.”

Elysia continues to take commissions following the successful completion of her studies at the Realist Academy of Art at Walton Hall in 2021. Furthermore, in a competition hosted by Busy Bees Nursery, her portrait of late founder John Woodward was awarded 2nd place, and will be displayed in Busy Bees’ Singapore Headquarters. Her work appeared twice on Sky Arts Portrait Artist of the Week and, more recently, she was featured on ITV Wales’ programme ‘Backstage’ and BBC News.

“I enjoy painting portraits and I am also keen to capture sporting events. I often paint cricket matches as I enjoy the exciting challenge of creating a sense of movement and freshness with bold strokes of paint. Street scenes and buildings, often hotels, are another subject matter which interests me as I seek to capture moments in time to which people can relate their own experiences and memories.

I really enjoy painting the way in which light falls on objects – I’m always drawn to dappled light and long shadows – as this helps me create contrast of light and shade in my work. I often paint in layers, using impasto strokes for the finishing touches to create texture and depth. Including colour and movement in my paintings enables my work to accurately and vividly recreate precious images and treasured memories.”