b. 1986 Apple Valley, California
Raised in California, Elise Wehle moved from her home to study art at Brigham Young University in the United States where she graduated with her Bachelor of Fine Arts. However, it wasn’t until she lived in southern Europe that she understood what kind of art she wanted to make. Visiting Granada’s Alhambra, an ancient palace covered in hand carved pattern, was an especially transformative experience. There in Andalucía, Spain, is where Wehle became captivated by the intricacy of design. Her artistic focus shifted, and she began incorporating dense repeating patterns in her own works on paper. Although the Alhambra was her original impetus, Wehle pulls inspiration from a variety of sources, including cathedrals, illuminated manuscripts, and patterns of all shapes and sizes, to manipulate portraits and landscapes into new creations. The unifying thread that runs through all her work is the interference of the image by geometric design.
Wehle’s artwork has been exhibited across Europe and the United States. Notably, the San Francisco Museum of Craft and Design showed her work, and the Guardian and the Observer featured her pieces in print and online. She continues to exhibit her work both nationally and internationally at art fairs and galleries. She currently lives in Orem, Utah with her husband and three children.