Liz Dexter

Medium: Mixed Media

INSPIRATION AND PROCESS: Liz Dexter creates layered mixed-media paintings that weave together textural forms and an array of artistic mediums which meld in beautiful and unexpected ways. Since settling in the Gorge, she has increasingly shifted toward botanical and handmade natural materials as a part of a creative process closely connected to the land around her - many of the materials used in her work are gathered or grown locally.

Working with encaustic wax (beeswax + tree resin), botanical inks, mineral paints, oil pigment sticks, and collage, Liz constructs her work through a process of layering, masking, and unveiling. She begins with loose, intuitive marks made in India ink on paper – typically abstracted text drawn from favorite poems. These marks capture a sense of energy and immediacy, incorporate her love of language, and form the building blocks of her pieces. The marks are often cut, layered, and reassembled into bold graphic compositions within which letterforms occupy the realm between readable text and visual structure. Wax, old book pages, and layered pigments interact to form translucent, complicated surfaces imbued with depth, visual history, and moments of discovery.

ARTISTIC PATH: Liz grew up with a strong interest in drawing, design, and making things. Early exposure to art and the built environment sparked a lasting fascination with how materials, structure, and form work together to shape the way we experience and inhabit space. This curiosity led to a career in architecture which combined design thinking with a deep interest in craft and hands-on experimentation. A strong sensitivity to proportion, composition, and spatial relationships continues to inform her art.

LIFE AS A GORGE ARTIST: Liz works from her home studio on the Mosier Plateau. Set on the edge of vast, protected National Scenic Area meadows and oak woodlands, the open skies, windswept landscapes, and native plant communities are a continual source of awe and inspiration.

HOW TO LEARN MORE:

  • ASK A QUESTION: The works shown here are not necessarily available and are shown as examples only. Contact us to learn more about availability and cost for works by this artist.

  • GET THE NEWSLETTER: Fill in the form at the bottom of this page to sign up for 301’s mostly monthly newsletter.