University of Redlands
BIO
Originally from Western Washington, Elisabeth moved to California nearly nine years ago and has been living with her partner Mars and dog Pancake ever since. She graduates from the University of Redlands with a Bachelor’s in Art with a concentration in graphic design, and will be interning in Esri’s Creative Lab as a Marketing Intern post-graduation. Elisabeth has a passion for community-oriented art and design, and hopes to continue to explore this area post-graduation by participating in community arts projects and creating work for local Artisan Markets. Elisabeth approaches design with an empathetic lens, and hopes to use design and art to benefit her communities.
Website: Liswalther.com
IG: lavender.lis
ARTIST STATEMENT
A friend once told me that one of the things they admired most about me is when I see something for sale, I typically respond “Hey, I could make that!” and then teach myself how to do it. It’s not that it’s more cost- effective to make it myself, or that I didn’t like the original. It’s about the process of learning to make something new; acquiring a skill that I didn’t have before— such as wood-carving, carpentry, baking, sewing and printmaking. Each opportunity to dig in, get messy, and engage in a new way of thinking thrills me.
I’ve found that the design process lights up my brain in the same way, allowing me to submerge myself in a new world. When designing a deck of oracle cards, I imagine them well-worn; a familiar and trusted companion to someone during their introspective moments. Painting a mural inside a local beauty salon is an opportunity to create an ultra-pink, unapologetically sparkly and feminine experience for customers. Synthesising colors, type and line to create new worlds for the viewers is joyful and exciting to me. This optimism shines through my work.
I hope that in this selection of my work you can see my love for the strange and beautiful all around us. I hope you see my love of vibrancy and authenticity, and a healthy admiration for camp and fun. But most of all, I hope you see my love for the process of creating. I believe in the power of graphic design to do more than just sell and inform; design has the ability to improve lives and bring joy.
