21 Under 31: Young Artists to Watch in 2015

Arizona

Zachery Elletson, Orchids, oil, 24 x 20.

Art Education: Private training with Jonathan Hardesty on Classical Art Online. It was the first site of its kind to offer classical atelier-style training over the Internet.

Style: Representational.

Creative Spark: I get inspired by daily life, nature, people, objects that seem to have a story, and the very short glimpses of perfect moments that stand still for a second and then vanish. Sometimes the seemingly trivial things in life can have the greatest impact on inspiration.

Second-Choice Career: Musician or farmer. I’m sort of a foodie and love finding good local restaurants. There’s something therapeutic about working with the soil and growing your own food.

Other Passions: Hiking, music, and finding good coffee shops.

Best Advice Received: The most recent was a quote from Antonio López García to Adam Paquette. He said, “Art is absolute freedom, and the cost of absolute freedom is that there is no path for you to follow.”

Biggest Fear: Not living up to my own potential.

Pet Peeve: When someone steps on my heel and my shoe comes off.

Mantra or Motto: From Bruce Lee: “If you think too much about a thing, you’ll never get it done.”

Favorite Work by Another Artist: For living artists right now it’s Hollis Dunlap, and for deceased artists it’s John Singer Sargent, of course. His ability to simplify things so perfectly is astounding and has left such a profound influence on representational painting.

Future Goals: To make a living from my work.

Price Range: $400 to $2,000.

Featured in the September 2015 issue of Southwest Art magazine–click below to purchase:
Southwest Art September 2015 print issue or digital download Or subscribe to Southwest Art and never miss a story!