Elayne Spinks Kuehler, a Romantic Realist

Plein air painting

When Elayne Spinks Kuehler was three years old, her mother remarked on her daughter's artistic abilities.  Her third grade teacher noticed her ability to draw and often gave her tips on drawing at her desk while the others in the class were coloring or enjoying quiet time with reading.  She admits to pulling the encyclopedia from the shelves at home to spend hours studying the paintings of the Old Masters.  When she was twelve years old, her father told her that he believed that since she loved art so much and was so good at it that she should delve into it whole heartedly and "do something with it.".   While still a teen, she spent her summers dabbling with various media, but admits to loving oil the best.   Her high school art teacher took her aside and told her that she really had talent and should develop it.  When she was eighteen years old, she sold the first painting she ever completed.

"Poetry in Motion"

The journey to becoming a professional artist was not straightforward.  Elayne found herself with small children, a house to manage and a job.  Painting became last in her priorities in her youth, but it was always there.  She reminisced that her son used to cry and cry when she went for an occasional art lesson.  For about eight years she had no time to paint. But she did pursue art and honed her skills.  Today she is recognized all over the country for her beautiful paintings.  Her works can be seen in galleries and in private collections in many places.

She has studied with Barrie Van Osdell, Carol Peebles and Auseklis Ozols who each specialize in a different form of art.  She has crafted her skills and has won many awards for her work.  When she was 28 years old she found directions in an art magazine to enter the Catharine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club contest to be allowed the privilege of exhibiting in its gallery in New York.  The CLWAC is named after a collector who wished to promote women artists.  Her painting was accepted and she has since become a member with privileges of exhibiting there.  That was her first competition.  Since then she has won many awards internationally, nationally and regionally.  Her website, lists all of her memberships and exhibitions.

Teaching Studio

Elayne's motto is taken from another famous artist, Michelangelo, who when asked about his worked stated:  "I am still learning."  As a learner she is also a teacher.  She maintains, in addition to her private studio, a teaching classroom where she instructs budding artists.  Some just want to learn the basics but a few have become professional artists in their own right.  She teaches private and group lessons in oil painting.  Her classes include instruction on technique, composition, drawing, color and design.  She has also been known to host "painting parties" from time to time for those just wanting to have fun while expressing themselves creatively.

Elayne's art can be currently seen in several galleries including Taylor Clark Gallery in Baton Rouge, LA or on her website.  She participates in exhibits across the nation and has often been selected to have one person exhibits.  One such recently was in Fayetteville, Texas where she displayed her work featuring the hill country and its beautiful wildflowers.  In October of 2014 her works will appear in the Garden District Gallery  in New Orleans, LA and the Three Rivers Gallery in Covington, LA.  

"Hail Istrouma"-Private Collection
Prints available

Elayne is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and attended Istrouma High School.  This year the school closed and Elayne created an oil painting of the building as she remembered it from her days there in the mid 60's.  Istrouma has the unique distinction of having a closely-knit group of alums that gathers at least bi-annually at someone's country home for a meal, music and fun.  The hosts of these gatherings are to be the recipients of the original oil painting as they have some very generous and appreciative friends.  In order for more people to have a copy of the painting Elayne had giclée prints made for folks to purchase.  These prints can be ordered directly from Elayne  by contacting her through her website.  They can also be purchased from Taylor Clark Gallery in Baton Rouge, LA.  One can learn more about the alumni gatherings for graduates of the 50's and 60's by reading another post by this blogger. 

"Azalea Still Life"-award winner

Elayne Kuehler is a prolific painter who focuses on oil painting, but is equally talented with pencil drawings and she has illustrated a children's book as well.  If you are lucky enough to see her works in person you should not miss the chance.  However, her website depicts many still life paintings, pencil drawings, miniatures, landscapes and wild life works.  She is versatile and widely recognized for her passion for art.  She is shown here at the Brush With Burden exhibit in Baton Rouge in the spring of 2014 beside her award winning painting, Azalea Still Life.