Ellen Starr Lyon
We're thrilled to feature Ellen Starr Lyon in Issue 41 of Create! Magazine. Born in 1974 in Columbus, Indiana, Lyon is a figurative painter whose modern portraiture deeply explores themes of feminism, motherhood, and coming of age. Her naturalist painting style is characterized by a vibrant palette and thin, luminous layers that capture her subjects in the gentle light of everyday moments. Using her own photography to seize unguarded expressions, Lyon translates these into oil paintings that reveal glimpses of raw emotion. Through her work, she champions vulnerability as a universal strength, evident in her powerful Red Glove Series, which portrays her teenage daughter with bright red rubber gloves and a defiant expression, symbolizing the next generation's fight for reproductive rights. Lyon's work is part of the permanent collections at the Evansville Museum and Indiana University.
Artist Statement
We are hardwired to read and interpret the human face. We are driven to look at faces and easily ascribe emotion to expressions, including those of complete strangers. Because of this, painting faces can show the subtlety of emotion with nuance that other subjects cannot. I focus on my friends and family, people whose faces I know how to read. I have been especially fascinated by painting my teens. It is a way for me to process the experience of motherhood and document these emotionally charged but fleeting years. With that comes the need to explore and portray my experience of being a woman/wife/mother. My roles are ever-changing, and I use self-portraiture to reflect that. I also make work about issues that are important to me using the mirror of other women. An issue that continually comes to the surface for me is vulnerability. It is important to me as an artist and in my relationships to be vulnerable. I want to show that in others and champion the idea that vulnerability is strength. My goal is to weave these topics into compelling, timely paintings depicting their relevance in quiet, domestic imagery.
www.ellenstarrlyon.com
Instagram: @ellenstarrlyon
What initially sparked your interest in art?
My earliest memories are of making things. I grew up in rural towns and don’t remember visiting an art museum until I was in college. My parents did take us to historic sites, and I remember being so impressed by what past generations were able to make with their own hands. I was exposed to a variety of crafts and raised in a family culture of respect for handmade items. My father had trained as an architect and was my first drawing teacher. I drew constantly through elementary and high school. It felt like my world expanded exponentially when I learned to paint with oils in college.
What connects your work together and what keeps you creating?
When I am asked this question (what keeps you creating?), I always say, “to become better.” I don’t often know what better looks like, but I follow what interests me and what I can learn. Looking back at my work, whether it be still lifes or portraits, one strong connection is the use of natural light. It never fails to fascinate me with its beauty and abstraction while being a part of everyday life. My work is also connected by a sense of intimacy and vulnerability. I am drawn to paint myself and those close to me to depict moments of deep emotion. Through them, I want to champion vulnerability as strength.
Describe your work using three words.
Illumination, vulnerability, and vibrant.
What are you most proud of as an artist, whether it's a specific moment or who you are as an artist?
I am most proud that I carry on. I have raised a family and continue to work a full-time job, but I find a way to keep making art and to keep improving. I honor that drive and work in the studio every evening. There are ways to build in balance—time for friends, family, and rest while working and being a professional artist—but it is far from easy and takes strong commitment. I doubt myself as much or more than any artist but am proud of my effort.
If you could be in a two-person exhibition with any artist from history, who would it be and why?
Such a tough question, and I have a long list, but to choose one, I would have to go with Paula Rego. She has been such an inspiration to me for decades; the honesty, rawness, and bold stance of her work are so powerful. Plus, I would have loved to meet her and dream of having been a quiet observer in her studio.
