Inspired by old stories, the mystical world, and wild spaces, Eli's art captures the magic of nature and folklore and is often symbolic.

Fine Art Photography

Fine art photographs inspired by nature and what is felt rather than what is seen.

Illustrations & Paintings

Magical, dreamlike illustrations inspired by a deep connection to nature, especially woodlands and water, but also the moon and the stars and everything else in between.

Children's Book Illustrations

Inspired by stories and folktales, creating illustrations for children's books was a natural progression. Eli's first commission was to bring the adventurous Fiery Fox to life for author, Teresa Davis.

“What I hope to capture is magic and wildness in my work”

“And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don’t believe in magic will never find it.”

Roald Dahl

The changing mood and seasons in the woods - so magical. I lost myself here for a couple of hours - no sense of time - an indulgence of the senses and beauty all around.

#woodland #woodlandfairytale #magicalforest #bluebells #ancientwoodland #woodlandtrust #englishwoodland #elireeskingphotography

I'm really enjoying experimenting and playing with media and colour - and letting go of trying to reach perfection.

Painting with gouache is something new for me - and at first didn't really take to it after being so used to acrylic paint - but it's beginning to feel more comfortable and I'm loving the way it layers over different colours. I have painted a whole load of mountain scenes this week - all colours, shapes, light/dark! It's an exciting process as I work on the illustration style I'm happy with for my own book!!

#gouache #childrensbookillustrations #goodshipillustration

Happy World Book Day! Fiery Fox was my first commission - I loved creating his cheeky character and all the other animals in the story. Since then, I have illustrated two more books in the series. It's been a wonderful journey working with talented author, Teresa Davis of @bearbooksltd.

I am now working on a book of my own and also have another collaboration project in the pipeline. This is what I love to do.

#bookillustration #kidlit #childrensbookillustration #worldbookday

The last light slipped away. The silence only broken by the occasional crackling of a branch somewhere nearby - stepped on by a deer or maybe a fox. Peace in the freezing night - and then the moon...rising through the branches. Beauty in darkness.

#moonrise #silence #winterwoods #moonlight #january #winterforest #eveningwalk #winterwalk

The Hoofs Of The Horses - William Henry Ogilvie

“The hoofs of the horses! - Oh! witching and sweet
Is the music earth steals from the iron-shod feet;
No whisper of lover, no trilling of bird
Can stir me as hoofs of the horses have stirred.

They spurn disappointment and trample despair,
And drown with their drum-beats the challenge of care;
With scarlet and silk for their banners above,
They are swifter than Fortune and sweeter than Love.

On the wings of the morning they gather and fly,
In the hush of the night-time I hear them go by —
The horses of memory thundering through
With flashing white fetlocks all wet with the dew.

When you lay me to slumber no spot you can choose
But will ring to the rhythm of galloping shoes,
And under the daisies no grave be so deep
But the hoofs of the horses shall sound in my sleep“

#horse #hooves #soundofhorses #horsedream #loveofahorse #frostyday #riding #horselife #chestnuthorse

I love Christmas - always a magical time of year and so special to spend precious time with family. We always celebrate Christmas Eve - a wonderful bonus of having Finnish heritage. I could post the hilarious video of me and my brother dancing to River Dance but I am going to save that one 😂 Instead I’m posting the result of throwing molten tin into a bucket of cold water on New Years Eve to predict the future of the year ahead ( “Dating back to the eighteenth century, the casting of tin is a Finnish New Year’s Eve tradition performed to predict what the year ahead holds for one in different aspects of their life such as wealth, happiness and health”)

The picture is my tin creation - I see a fox and a crow or a wise old women - maybe creative inspiration for the coming months.

I would say 2024 has been a very good year - despite losing incredible people - cancer doesn’t choose but it acts as a reminder to be grateful for every second we have in this life. I enter 2025 fitter, stronger, and with a new love in my life - Tigger. I’m ready for new challenges and I’m so grateful for love, life, laughter, family, friends, health and happiness - and for the incredible people in my life that inspire me every day - you know who you all are x

#finnishteafiotion #newyear #2025 #predictions #grateful #fitnessmotivation

This year I have painted a few white horses - I haven’t questioned the symbolism - yet when I look back how did I not see the message there as clear as day!

White Horse Spirit Animal

As a spirit animal, the white horse embodies qualities of grace, beauty, and freedom. It serves as a guide in times of transformation and can help you tap into your inner strength and wisdom. The white horse spirit animal encourages you to follow your passion and embrace new beginnings with courage and confidence.

Today is the longest day of the year - Happy Winter Solstace. I think the white horse will appear a few more times yet!

The breathtaking raw beauty of Northumberland and County Durham made even more beautiful by the snow storm.

Wild places.
Wild spaces.
Peace in my heart.

#northumberland #countydurham #snowstrom #wildplaces

A lovely walk along the river this morning - I love the crisp chill in the air and the crunch of the last bits of snow underfoot.

“There is no better time than the autumn to begin forgetting the things that trouble us, allowing them to fall away like dried leaves. There is no better time to dance again, to make the most of every crumb of sunlight and warm body and soul with its rays before it falls asleep and becomes only a dim light bulb in the skies.”
― Paulo Coelho

Absolutely stunning colours in the woods today - grateful for simple pleasures. Egg sandwiches and hot chocolate picnic, and the gentle sound of leaves falling all around. This is heaven.

Yesterdays’ sunrise. I didn’t have time to watch the sun fully rise, even though I really wanted to see those first few rays of light burst from the horizon. This was enough though - a peachy glow and autumn mist and the here and now.

#sunrise #ukcountryside #morningglow #coloursinthesky #autumnmist #elireeskingphotography

I am in awe of Teresa - author extraordinaire of the Fiery Fox series @bearbooksltd.

Her vision is to create books for children based on stories that are fun to read and deliver important messages about safety, taking care of our planet, and being kind. I am so grateful to Teresa for trusting me to create the illustrations for the third book in the series. Fiery Fox and the Muddy Gift of Kindness. Teresa tells me that she already has orders from customers in the UK and in the USA and Canada!

Thanks for letting me be part of another amazing Fiery Fox adventure Teresa :)

#fieryfox #bearbooks #kidlit #forestschoolbook #kindnessbook #childrensbook #childrensbookillustrator #elireesking

Buzzards circling overhead. Their call instantly recognisable and I love hearing them.

#buzzards #cotswolds #hills #buzzards #englishcountryside #autumnwalk #elireesking

Finding your light. I have been wondering where mine has disappeared to lately. The everyday that finds a way to sneakily take over and the creative in me is pushed to the wayside as “busyness” reigns - this is when the light begins to show itself again. First quietly - a glimmer but then you can’t ignore it any longer and you have to listen and try and make sense of the quiet whisper in your heart. I’m listening…

#listentoyourheart #findyourlight #drawntothelight #moths #moon #darkness #halloween #witching hour #truth #happiness #creativelife #elireesking

When you have the beautiful Cotswold’s on your doorstop, what else is there to do but get out there for a walk. It was absolutely glorious up there and amazingly I didn’t see one person - just sheep, pheasant’s, a buzzard or two, squirrel’s, and lovely Robin singing its heart out - perfect.

#cotswolds #sundaymorning #autumnwalk

A beautiful couple of days in Devon and Cornwall - I couldn’t wait to get in the water. September is now here and I’m ready for it.

I’m already longing for the feeling of being back in the lake. Sauna, swim, sauna, swim and so it goes on.

Farewell song to the sandpiper. We cycled around the lake and found this baby sandpiper next to his mum who had been killed by a car. Unfortunately the baby sandpiper passed away too as he had an injury to his beak and it is just so difficult to save young birds. I think he felt safe for his last few hours.

#farewell #sandpiper #waterbird #finland #elireesking #childrensillustration #sketch #imagination

14 days of pure escape - space to be, space to breathe. Happy times.

And @warwickshireopenstudios 2024 begins! Seeing @mike.bagshaw.5 paint is something very special - what a talent he has! I am also here with the wonderful @bridget_steel_jessop and @matthew.rea at their beautiful venue @cotswoldedgestudios (no. 82 in Offenham). Open this weekend, next weekend and the weekend after.

I thought “Beauty in the Darkness” would work well as a fabric design - and I am so happy with the result! I will be bringing these with me for @warwickshireopenstudios - taking place 22 June to 07 July. @cotswoldedgestudios is a wonderful venue in a beautiful location (82 in the brochure)- fully accessible with parking, tea/coffee, cake! and not forgetting - incredible artists @mike.bagshaw.5 @bridget_steel_jessop @stinkingdaisy and Frank Bagshaw.

#warwickshireopenstudios #warwickshireartists #affordableart #elireesking

Almost time for @warwickshireopenstudios which means printing labels, putting cards into sleeves, packing prints and organising all my work I want to show. I’ll be over at @cotswoldedgestudios with @bridget_steel_jessop @mike.bagshaw.5 @matthew.rea (@stinkingdaisy) and Frank Bagshaw. Come along and see us! Find us on the @warwickshireopenstudios website - venue 82 (Evesham & Offenham)

The most lovely week in the Pyrenees. It was completely relaxing, inspiring and with great wine and the best of company. My brother is very lucky to live in such a beautiful place.

edit: the man with the donkey is not my brother 😂

#pyrenees

A small section of one of the latest pages I’m working on for Fiery Fox the “Muddy Gift of Kindness”. I’m getting close to halfway and although the illustrations take time - I’m really enjoying the process and cannot wait to show @bearbooksltd the finished pages! I love this story - Teresa has written it so beautifully - it really is a heartwarming book.

#kidlitillustration #childrensbookillustrator #childrenbook_art #goodshipillustration #childhoodimagination #picturebookillustration #animaldrawings #elireesking

There is something I find very therapeutic about painting foliage and flowers. This layer will slowly be built up with other leaves and petals to give it depth. It is part of the first page of #fieryfox book 3 - all will be revealed when the book is finished - hopefully in time for Easter!

Having a break now to look at this again later. It’s an important lesson for me to walk away and see things with fresh eyes.

#botanicals #foliage #childrensbookillustrator #kidslitillustration #picturebookillustration #folkillustration #kidlitart #elireesking

Selkies, Dragons, Truth, Word Spells, and the “Stories in our Bones”. This was how I spent a couple of hours this afternoon - listening to stories told by @katesstorytree - losing ourselves in our imagination and finding wisdom in Kate’s words. While Kate spoke we doodled and collaged without care for precision or perfection - pictures appearing on the page like a spell from words. An afternoon for the soul and in the company of wonderful souls.

#stories #folklore #imagination #storytelling #selkies #wordspells #childrensbookillustrator #oldstories #elireesking

It’s school half-term so not too much time for painting this week but I’ll be getting my sketch book out instead and my camera.

Fiery Fox illustrations are well underway - I haven’t yet taken paint to paper but the drawings are almost all completed. This sleepy fox is on canvas - a calm night with a chill still in the air. It is so lovely seeing the first signs of snowdrops and spring bulbs out there and the sun was shining today too.

I’m looking forward to spending a few days with the boys.

#sleepingfox #hibernation #waitingforspring #foxden #childrensillustrations #childrensbookillustration #magicaldream #calm #mindfulness #dreamtime #elireesking

This is a new process for me but I’m going to track some of the behind the scenes activity in bringing the third Fiery Fox to life. This will include some random thoughts and ideas in addition to some useful information about the planning phases of creating illustrations for a children’s picture book. If there is anything you want to know I will try and answer questions for you.

#kidlitillustrators #childrensbookillustration #picturebook #fieryfox #bearbooks #elireesking

This is my favourite part of the process when the creative ideas are in full flow - especially knowing that @bearbooksltd author Teresa is as excited as I am about the illustrations.

A little story -

When I came home I asked my son to unload the dishwasher and he bluntly told me that he was too tired as he had just come back from school. I said - "well what about me - I've been at work all day too!" To which he replied - "Well, it's hardly work is it because you enjoy it".

Well, he's right - I do enjoy what I do - a lot! But it's been a long road getting to this point where what I do are the things I want to be doing - and I don't take it for granted - not for a minute.

He got out of unloading the dishwasher tonight. Tomorrow is another day :)

#gratitude #dowhatmakesyouhappy #lovewhatyoudo #kidlit #childrensillustrator #forestschooleducation #fieryfox #elireesking

A quick announcement - I'm having a clear-out and have discounted everything in my Etsy shop - it is time for a refresh. New stock will be added to the shop in March and I'll be opening up worldwide sales again.

#etsyUK #etsyseller #etsydiscount #artprints #gicleeprints #artsale #elireesking

I am really looking forward to taking part in this year's Summer Arts Week with WOS! I'll be exhibiting at the fabulous @cotswoldedgestudios - more details to come very soon.

#artexhibition #warwickshire #localartist #illustration #painting #art @warwickshireopenstudios #warwickshireopenstudios2024 #summerartweeks2024

“Let yourself be silently drawn by the stronger pull of what you truly love. It will not lead you astray.“

Happy to spend some time to allow myself the space to explore and experiment.

#dove #peace #heart #love #mixedmedia #contemporaryart #dowhatyoulove #dowhatmakesyouhappy #mindfulness #calm #natureart #horsepainting #elireesking

Tricked by the golden rays of the sunrise - I hadn't quite realised just how freezing it was out there this morning!! My fingers felt like they were going to break off - they were so cold when I got back, but it was worth taking my gloves off to take some pictures of this glorious frosty morning. Now I have a hot cup of tea in my hands and can finally feel the blood returning to my poor fingers!

#coldfrostymorning #coldsunrise #ukcountryside #englishweather #beautyofnature #bbcweatherwatchers #elireesking

Doodling, sketching and warming up my ideas ready to start on the storyboard. There are five characters in the third book - Fiery Fox, Rabbit, Field Mouse, Squirrel, and Badger. All have made appearances jn the previous books but they have a bit of a role to play in book 3. The story @bearbooksltd Teresa has written reminds me of my own childhood - exploring the woods with friends and having the time of our lives without a care in the world. It brings it home that so many children in the world right now are suffering and life is so far removed from laughing with friends and just being a child.

#childrensbookillustration #kidlitillustrators #picturebooks #fieryfox #elireesking #childrensbooks #forestschool

What is about a smooth pebble or the sight of a perfect feather in the grass, or a pine cone at the foot of a tree? I always have something in my pocket that then finds itself in a jar or a box in my studio, or it will just stay in pocket until I find it again. These are a few of my favourite things.

#naturegifts #naturesart #perfectioninnature #creativeinspiration #favouritethings #elireesking

These past couple of years I haven’t been able to commit to as many exhibitions or opportunities as I would have wished to. This year will be different and I am looking forward to taking part in a whole range of dedicated art events including @warwickshireopenstudios - and making the most of my membership with the @lsa_art_room as well as attending @arcstratford events and the fabulous @chinbadgermedia networking events “cakestorm”. Along with my art projects I am excited about getting work officially underway with @bearbooksltd with book 3 in the Fiery Fox series. I can’t wait to see this book published - all being well it will be available late spring. I have a few other projects of my own that I would like to fulfil this year too - there is nothing stopping me - only myself so I will MAKE this HAPPEN. I am so lucky to have so many incredible connections - not only here in the virtual world of IG but also with the wonderful groups I’m part of and not mention my always supporting family and friends. I am always being inspired by every single one of you. Thank you.

#warwickshireartist #picturebookillustration #kidlitillustrators #mysticalart #inspiredbynature #artforthesoul #horseart #equineartist #poweranimal #spirithorse #elireesking

First Light. The white horse appears again.

I loved spending time at the @lsa_art_room this week - and I’m feeling a new wave of inspiration so I’m going with it.

#winterforest #mysticalforest #magicalrealism #magic #forestsunrise #newbeginnings #positivethinking #forestdream #folklore #horsespirit #poweranimal #shamanart #paganart #winterseason #symbolism #elireesking

I am delighted that “Freedom under Burning Skies” has been accepted into this month’s exhibition (Freedom) @lsa_art_room open until the 10th December.

#lsaartroom #leamingtonspagallery #warwickshireartists #freedom #deerpainting #redsky ##naturalworld #elireesking

Don't Go Back To Sleep ~ Rumi

The breeze at dawn has secrets to tell you. Don't go back to sleep.

You must ask for what you really want. Don't go back to sleep.

People are going back and forth across the doorsill where the two worlds touch.

The door is round and open. Don't go back to sleep.

I was reminded of this poem by Rumi recently and even though it’s not the inspiration behind this painting…perhaps it is.

#rumi #mystical #horse #awakening #peace #magic #uffingtonhorse #ancesters #ancienttimes #shamen #elireesking

October and still beautiful colours in the garden to enjoy. Monday morning and I’m feeling ready for the week with some new work underway and so happy to have sold two of my paintings (which are now safely packaged up and awaiting collection from the delivery company).

#viewfrommykitchenwindow #cottagegarden #feelinggrateful #englishcountrygarden #autumnflowers #creativelife #elireesking

My last time manning the gallery - although the story doesn’t end here. The @court_gallery may be closing its doors for the final time this Sunday @stratfordgardencentre but it will be opening new doors in 2024 as soon as a new venue has been found. Meanwhile I will be looking to broaden my horizons with some new outlets and I will also be keeping busy working on @bearbooksltd new Fiery Fox book!

#artgallery #courtyardgallery #newbeginnings #warwickshireartists #elireesking

"In the calm, deep waters of the mind, the wolf waits." F.T. McKinstry

I found this quote by the author and it resonated with me. This is not quite finished - it’s a mixed media piece - I like the textures and layers but a bit more to do yet and I am probably being impatient posting this and then will end up looking at it tomorrow and wanting to delete it!

#wolf #innerwolf #wolfspirit #sisu #wolfsymbolism #animalspirit #powerofthewolf #poweranimal #shamonism #pagen #nordicspirit #norsemythology #elireesking

A sunny, happy walk in the woods where the beautiful dappled light danced amongst the leaves.

A fabulously creative day today which started with a meeting with @bearbooksltd to discuss the illustration work I’ll be doing for the 3rd Fiery Fox book in the series which is all about being kind ❤️ Then this afternoon I dug out the @gelliarts plate with one of my boys (who does not want his photo taken) and we printed botanical bits and bobs from the garden - I love that he wants to join me in some creative endeavours. I’ve also just submitted a piece into next months @lsa_art_room exhibition - “reflections” - keeping my fingers crossed it will considered as one of the exhibits! My final creative act of the day is making dinner out of whatever is in the fridge - so it’s a macaroni/cauliflower cheese.

#creativelife #creatingeveryday #artgallery #leamingtonspart #warwickshireartist #elireesking

Spending time in Finland is always like recharging my creative batteries - I return inspired and have so many ideas for new work. This little watercolour was just a quick go one evening at capturing the pastel tones of the lake and I've just added the lichen and bits because I loved the textures and colours. I want to use this as a basis for a new canvas and to try and capture this peaceful mood in some way.

#lake #lakecolours #finland #finnishlake #nature #mindfulness #calmwaters #eveningcolours #eveninglight #elireesking

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