Eleanor Eick

I grew up in beautiful Maplewood, New Jersey and moved to New York City to attend Parsons School of Design in 1969. I taught design and drawing at art and architecture schools and worked at interior and marketing firms. Starting in 1990, I was a freelance display designer, creating enhanced environments at retail stores, wholesale showrooms and trade shows.

I have loved painting with watercolor since taking classes at NYC art schools. I was lucky to live near the Brooklyn Botanic Garden and had my first plein air experiences there.

My wife and I moved to Hunterdon County in 2006. I made my first local paintings at the Prallsville Mil. I joined the Hunterdon Watercolor Society, The Musconetcong Watercolor Group and have taken many classes at The Center for Contemporary Art. I have been influenced by Gail Bracegirdle

and Doris Ettlinger in traditional techniques. Wes Sherman and Terri Fraser have directed me towards appreciation of all things contemporary.

Painting outdoors is a great reason to be exploring, breathing, listening and observing. I try to be open to an intuitive feeling to stop and paint whatever is in front of me at that moment. Nature shows me pathways and flowing elements, soft, heart throbbing rhythms.

Sometimes I continue work on a painting from memory and this creates a

hybrid between there and here. I also love making collages using a variety of materials.