Elizabeth R Gahan

works on canvas, paper & panels

Urban Ecosystems 

​

I use architectural imagery and mixed media to portray how humans build their physical and cultural surroundings. New structures influence local communities and economies, as well as point to broader global trend. The built environment impacts our experience of everyday life, as well as creates landmarks for future generations to consider.

 

The architectural landscapes I select from around the world explore relationship between natural and built environments, architecture and advertising, public space and private experience, urban development and commerce, as well as organic and geometric forms. Saturated colors and acrylic mediums give the images a contemporary aesthetic that reflects current influences of digital technology and advertising.   

​

Together as a body of work, these paintings bring forth themes of renewal and growth of both public and private living spaces, while keeping a critical eye on the human footprint on our environments. Advancements in urban design, landscaping, building restoration, and sustainable living are creating positive impacts on how our constructed environments connect with communities, individuals and the natural environment. At the same time, unnaturally heightened colors and the use of synthetic materials  blurs the line between what is "natural” and "unnatural” pointing to unmet challenges of urban sprawl and the depletion of natural environments. Floating, translucent or seemingly unfinished imagery creates a sense of instability and transition that describes the rapidly changing world in which we live today.