BEHIND
THE LENS
(AND PALETTE KNIFE)
Hi!
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I'm Elyssa Storey.
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Australian
Impasto painter and photographer
from Temora, NSW.
ABOUT
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Growing up on a small property north of Bathurst, I was surrounded by creativity and the dynamic landscapes of rural Australia. From a young age, I was immersed in art, with creative relatives and a love for nature shaping my path. I spent my childhood exploring all kinds of artistic mediums, from drawing and ceramics to welding and leadlight. My signature move as a 3-year-old was signing my artwork by writing my name both upside-down and backwards 😉.
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My passion for agriculture started young—helping my grandparents on their cattle farm near Wattle Flat, NSW, and spending countless hours on the school bus, watching the farming landscapes pass by. Though I didn’t grow up immersed in farm life, I was always drawn to it. While working on a farm in the Riverina for several years, I gained a deep connection to the land and the way agriculture shapes our world. This is where I found my creative freedom and began to understand how the seasons, the land, and the rhythms of rural life shaped my work. I have now spent the best part of 7 years living up life in the small Riverina town of Temora, NSW.
​INSPIRATION​
My inspiration comes from the Australian rural landscape, with its ever-changing beauty and textures. The seasonal shifts in the countryside, from vibrant hues to earthy tones, continuously captivate me. These changes in nature, and how they intertwine with agriculture, fuel my desire to express the feeling of rural life through my art.​
Specialising in acrylic impasto painting, I love to use bold textures and techniques to bring my landscapes to life. I often incorporate materials like sand and use palette knife strokes to capture the textures I see in the land around me. Whether it’s the rugged dirt roads, the wide open skies, aerial perspectives or the abstract shapes I find in nature, my art is a reflection of the world I live in and the deep connection I have to it.​
Photography has always played a role in capturing the beauty of the land, but it’s through painting that I can truly express the emotions and stories I experience every day. I aim to bring viewers into the Australian landscape with my work, evoking a sense of shared connection to the land that has shaped me and continues to inspire my creative journey.
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I have immense pride in my origin, which has played a major role in shaping me as a person and my career. All of my original art, art reprints and limited edition photography prints are signed with an 'S' logo. This logo was the Storey family brand used by my Great-Granfather, on what is now my Grandparent's cattle farm. The farm has been in the Storey name since the mid 19th century however the brand was only in use from roughly the 1930's to the 1960's on sheep. After shearing, the brand was dipped in dye and pressed to the sheep's hind quarter. It would stain the wool for quite some time and be used to identify the sheep if they strayed. I love that I am able to attach a piece of family history to the art that I create and I strongly believe that when purchasing art, it is incredibly important to feel a strong sense of passion from the artist through the painting. I hope that combining my lineage with my art expresses this connection.​​​​
​WHAT I DO
I’m passionate about blending modern, vibrant aesthetics with timeless techniques like impasto and palette knife painting. By combining bold colours and dynamic brushstrokes, I create work that feels fresh and contemporary while still honouring the enduring appeal of classic techniques. This fusion results in pieces that are bold, expressive, and perfect for today’s art scene, while still carrying a sense of timelessness and connection to the land I love. I currently offer a variety of services:​
WHERE TO FIND MY ART
In the last year, I’ve been lucky enough to see my art in new spaces and share it with even more people. Some of my pieces are now on display at Espresso House Temora and for purchase at Crafted by Nature Australia (Cowra). I also had the opportunity to hold my first solo exhibition in July 2024. I recently ran workshops to share my creative process with others and I'm hoping to expand my workshops during 2025. It’s been a rewarding journey, and I look forward to the future opportunities it brings me. Keep up to date here.​​​​​​​
PASSIONS
My biggest love is devoted to my fiancé Shaun, and our two kelpies, Tambo and Tooka. If I’m not spending my free time attempting to busy myself with 1000 creative projects at once, you can find the four of us scaling the countryside on various small to great ventures.
COMMITMENT TO AUSTRALIA
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I care deeply about the land that inspires my art, and that’s why I’m committed to protecting it. It’s not just about what I create, but how I create it. I use eco-friendly materials in my art making process. From using 100% recycled plastic canvases to zero-VOC, eco-friendly paints and mediums, I’m committed to doing my part to reduce waste. While there’s always room for improvement (and not always a way around it), I’m proud to be taking steps in the right direction to reduce my environmental impact. That’s also why a portion of every photography print sale goes towards supporting charities that reflect the themes in my work, helping to give back to the community and environment that’s given me so much inspiration.
​THANK YOU
​It means a lot to me to have you visit my website and read my story. If you would like to continue to support me, you can sign up for my mailing list, and follow my page on Instagram and Facebook. Follows, likes, comments, shares and saves help to make me more visible on social media and make it easier for customers and art lovers to find me. You can keep up to date with new content, and feel free to share any posts that you love. I look forward to filling your future orders and I cannot wait to see your favourite works hung up on your wall!
