More about L. D. McElroy

Education

Otis College of Art and Design, selected courses, 2003-2005

Loyola Marymount University, B.A. and M.A. English , 1979, B.A. and 1981, M.A.

Bio

While L. D. McElroy has always loved art, she did not decide to become an artist until she was in her forties. Her father, who paints as a second vocation, gave her some extra acrylic paints he had in his studio and her art adventure began. She painted alone in her kitchen the first few years and then returned to school, taking art courses at Otis College of Art and Design and UCLA.

From boat docks to rooftops to lifeguard stands, L. D. McElroy is drawn to strong geometric shapes and varied textures. She likes to strip the detail from landscapes, focusing on a solitary figure or two. She often leaves some imagery undefined, allowing room for the viewer to fill in the blanks with his or her own imagination.

Most of L. D. McElroy’s paintings start with an image she has either sketched or photographed. She then spends a considerable amount of time deciding which details to eliminate and which colors to use. Small value studies in charcoal pencil are completed and then she does an acrylic underpainting which varies in color and texture depending on her goals for the painting.

In Our Words

L. D. McElroy’s paintings are glimpses through the window of life. Clean lines and uncluttered compositions exist simultaneously with beautifully executed textures and color combinations. Stillness reigns as enigmatic figures stand frozen in time. The viewer is invited to gaze, unnoticed, into the scene at hand and explore the possibilities.

Selected Exhibition History

• Solo Show: Fragments NW University, Kirkland, WA 2010
• New Tendencies River Gallery, La Conner, WA 2009
• Eastside Association of Fine Arts 33rd Annual Exhibition City Hall, Redmond, WA 2008
• Solo Show HBO Television Network (HBO), Corporate Offices, Santa Monica, CA 2007
• Coastal Patterns Watermark Book Company, Anacortes, WA 2007

Selected Sales History

• He's Not All There – Oil On Canvas – 24'' h x 30'' w – $800 – August, 2007
• The Strand – Oil and Mixed Media On Ca – 24'' h x 36'' w – $1,200 – October, 2007
• Italian Village – Oil On Canvas – 24'' h x 48'' w – $1,000 – January, 2008
• Madrona Beach – Oil On Canvas – 24'' h x 48'' w – $1,200 – July, 2008
• At the Station – Oil On Canvas – 18'' h x 24'' w – $700 – August, 2008
• Lake View – Oil On Canvas – 24'' h x 28'' w – $800 – December, 2008
• Beach Ladies – Oil On Canvas – 18'' h x 24'' w – $500 – March, 2009
• Time to Go – Oil On Canvas – 14'' h x 18'' w – $600 – March, 2009
• Waiting for a Swell – Oil On Canvas – 24'' h x 48'' w – $1,200 – April, 2009
• Summer Ferry, Walking On – Oil and Mixed Media On Ca – 12'' h x 12'' w – $600 – May, 2009
• Beach Baby – Oil on Canvas – 16'' h x 12'' w – $400 – July, 2009
• Monorail #1 – acrlic on canvas – 36'' h x 36'' w – $1,200 – November, 2009
• Scorcher – Acrylic On Canvas – 20'' h x 20'' w – $700 – March, 2010
• Mykonos Balcony – Oil and Mixed Media On Ca – 24'' h x 36'' w – $700 – March, 2010