Rising Stars: Meet Lizzy Love of East Nashville

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzy Love.

Hi Lizzy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Memphis TN, and had a love of art from an early age. My parents put me in private art lessons when I was young to cultivate this love of art and it was very influential for me. Fast forward to college, I studied art at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) and really had no idea what I wanted to do with that for a job, but had faith that I would figure it out.

I moved to Nashville when I was 24 and worked nannying jobs until I could piece together a living making art. I was able to go full time in 2016 and have been doing it ever since! My work shifted completely after having my first child in 2020, and that’s when things really took off. I now have 2 children (5 year old boy and 2 year old girl) and work out of my home studio!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think there are bumps along the way for most careers, but becoming a working artist certainly doesn’t come without its’ challenges. Early on it was hard to turn my passion into a job in the sense of turning off the voice that would tell me to make what I thought would sell. Creating with this in mind can often really kill your creativity, and it took me a while to separate the business side with the creative side and to not create with sales as the main motivation to what I was making.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create figurative artworks using acrylic paints on canvas, as well as watercolor and gouache on paper. I gravitate towards large-scale creations and embrace layered patterns and architectural elements juxtaposed with feminine forms.

With a desire to reignite my creative spark about 5 years ago, I sought to delve deeply into the foundational aspects of my craft and found myself sketching figures from magazines. Gradually, these sketches evolved from intricate and lifelike representations into more abstract and modernist interpretations with dynamic compositions. Drawing is foundational to my practice and much of my time in the studio is spent drawing and collaging to set the foundation for each painting. Playing with color combinations in new and innovated ways paired with bold pattern is a key element in my work.

Motivated to counteract the prevalent sexualized portrayal of women in media, my work offers a celebration of the diverse manifestations of femininity and individuality. The women depicted in my art, serving as symbolic representations of the multifaceted nature of womanhood, encompass themes of community, respect, femininity, and reverence. I infuse each piece with my earnest admiration and respect for the women who have influenced my personal life and artistic growth. My fascination with interior design and its expressional influence prompted me to incorporate furniture, interior settings, and patterns into my artwork. My love of fashion and the way we use personal style to express ourselves is another theme I explore. My aim with each painting is to uplift and celebrate women and bring fun and joy to the homes where these paintings live.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I actually thought I wanted to be a fashion designer when I was in grade school and part of highschool because I loved drawing clothing and putting together outfits so much!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lizzyloveart.com
• Instagram: @LizzyLoveArt