Elisa Contemporary Art is pleased to present Fleeting, a curated exhibit in the Front Room at Susan Eley Fine Art.

Fleeting is an exploration of time, place and movement. It captures the essence of subjects – often just a moment in time – before life changes and transforms into something new forever. From the muscular movement of thoroughbreds in Ken Peloke’s equestrian paintings to the otherworldly presence in Connie Firestone’s abstracted figures. It is a journey with two stylistically different artists, yet with a shared idea. The exhibited body of work share a circle of life – inspired by one just beginning and the other passing.

Challenged by limitations from colorblindness Arizona artist, Ken Peloke gave up painting entirely for seven years. The news of his first child, a daughter, filled him with a flood of emotions and a desire to share them again on canvas. His most recent body of work, focuses on capturing the essence of horses. First inspired by time spent with his wife’s horses, Ken became fascinated by their beauty, their athleticism, and their innocence. His bold, almost life-sized mixed media paintings capture the pure essence of each horse – filled with beauty, nobility and power. According to Ken, “There is such an honesty and purity that is felt while spending time with our horse, as an artist I feel compelled to try to relay those same emotions.”

Connie Firestone has been painting and drawing for many years, but four years ago she began her "Guardian" series during the time that her mother passed way. The shadowy figures of Connie Firestone's Guardian series are barely visible through the veil that separates the worlds. Luminous, multi-layered, and elegantly simple at first glance, these paintings provide a glimpse into another dimension. According to Connie "The Guardian series has been a spiritual journey for me and a life changing journey to create this artwork. To my own guardians and spirit guides, I am filled with gratitude, for I know they are with me at all times."

Each of Connie’s paintings begin with a pure black canvas and numerous layers of metallic and transparent glazes are slowly built up. When finished there may be up to seventy veils of transparent glazes. These reflective glazes reveal different colors and luminosity as the light plays across the surface of the canvas. The "Guardians" are a numbered series, never titled, because Connie believes that to title a painting tells the viewer what to think, and the interaction between the viewer and the painting is should be uniquely personal.