in acrylic, watercolor, and mixed media


This is my altar. Literally. It is a photo of my watercolor box, my prayerful companion over many years. Creativity, in all its forms, is prayer to me.

In addition to providing services as a coach and consultant, I also write and make visual artwork. You’ll see my paintings and illustrations sprinkled throughout this website. (In fact, all the images in the site are my work.)

My education as a visual artist began with an encouraging high school art teacher and carried on with coursework through college and beyond. Primarily a painter using either acrylic on canvas or watercolor on paper, I first began displaying my fine art professionally in 2002. I have been showing and selling my paintings steadily since then. My illustrations have been reproduced in special interest magazines, and my graphic design work has been lauded in regional and international competitions.

My fine art portfolio is being revamped for 2015. But you can get a glimpse of some more of my artwork here.

For those of you who don’t already know — I’m a first-time mom to an almost-two-year-old. One of the big surprises of my pregnancy was how little energy I had for my own artwork. I expected to be bursting with creative energy while incubating my little one. But all my personal creative energy went to making a baby! Even after my daughter was born, painting took a hiatus as I focused on mothering, self-care and serving clients. The energy for painting is starting to return. Small, 4×6 watercolors have been the mainstay of my creative process of late. I’d love to be dancing the acrylics onto big canvases again, but small-on-paper is what fits into my new paradigm right now. Here’s a peak at some of my musings…

musings in watercolor — ©2014 Elka Eastly Vera

musings in watercolor — ©2014 Elka Eastly Vera

The creative process has its own intelligence. Things go best when I relate to my creativity as an organic garden, rather than as a factory farm. I have found this to be a sound approach working with other soulful creatives as a coach.

Be sure to add yourself to my mailing list to receive an announcement when my new fine art portfolio debuts.