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

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

Palomino Hill, where wild ponies graze on ancient lands and stories are told by the stones.

#palomino #wildpony #moors #ancientland #storytelling #herd #stones #wildland #rewilding

There is nothing more majestic than a horse. His majesty will be finished off in a simple black wooden tray frame - that's this weekend's job. I think he will look even more regal than he already does.

#horse #aurora #majestic #painting #equineart #regalhorse #equineartist #mystical #magical #horsekingdom

For those local to Stratford-upon-Avon, I will be exhibiting at a Christmas Fair being held at Stratford Sports Club on Saturday, 29th November!

We are all local artists and makers, plus a health and beauty business. There will be plenty of treats and festive gifts available - it will be a great way to get the festive season underway! Please check the link in my bio for further details.

♡ Local artists and artisan makers
⊹ Independent businesses
‧₊˚Car Parking and easy to walk to from town
🎄 Fully accessible for all
🦌 Family Friendly
✩ Christmas menu (reasonable prices!)
₊˚ Lots of gift ideas to suit all pockets!

Come and see us for some festive fun and Christmas shopping.

#stratforduponavon #independentbusiness #localbusiness #gifts #handmade #artisan

This is my first portrait of either a person or animal, but here I am - painting this magnificent chestnut beauty - Tigger. He is an ex-racehorse and now in his calmer years enjoying lots of rides in the woods and is very loved.

Finding the medium of wood has been a wonderful discovery - I am certainly gojng to do more portraits as the feeling of Tigger coming to life layer after layer has been very inspiring! It isn't quite finished but I’m going to leave this for now and come back to it tomorrow. Small steps 😊

#horseportrait #thoroughbred #chestnuthorse #exracehorse #petportrait #gingerhorse

I’ve been getting carried away up-cycling and repurposing tins! I’ve got about 12 different designs - all hand painted or covered with hessian scraps and beautiful napkin prints. I’ve even made holes in the bottom with matching saucers (odd ones that would have been thrown away otherwise) that can be used as plant pots. I am going to bring some to the fair, planted up with firs and ivy, but also have lots of propagated house plants that would look lovely too! I am passionate about reusing what we have and making things look beautiful again.

#upcycle #reuse #repurpose #ecofriendly #gift #homeware #beautifulhome #craft #handmade #handpainted #elireesking #rustic

“I am Enough”

All of us doing our best - whatever that looks like for each of us.

WILD GEESE BY MARY OLIVER

You do not have to be good.
You do not have to walk on your knees
for a hundred miles through the desert repenting.
You only have to let the soft animal of your body
love what it loves.
Tell me about despair, yours, and I will tell you mine.
Meanwhile the world goes on.
Meanwhile the sun and the clear pebbles of the rain
are moving across the landscapes,
over the prairies and the deep trees,
the mountains and the rivers.
Meanwhile the wild geese, high in the clean blue air,
are heading home again.
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting -
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.”

#iamenough❤️ #wildgeese #square #painting #art #women #feminineenergy #mindfulness #calm #meditation #elireesking

Another self-portrait from a few years back. Samhain blessings to all who celebrate.

#allhallowseve #samhain #halloween #witch #fullmoon #selfportrait #october #elireesking

I discovered how lovely it is to create with air dry clay - even though a much longer, fiddly process than I imagined. From rolling out clay, cutting shapes, drying, sanding, sealing, and then painting, varnishing and finishing. But all hand made.

I’ve made quite a few different designs - although only eight angels. These will be part of my collection of eco gifts that will be available at the Christmas Fair at @stratfordsport club at the end of November.

#festivegifts #christmasfair #angels #christmasstars🌟 #stratfordsportaclub #independentbusiness #ecogifts #handmadechristmas #shoplocal #stratforduponavon

I’ve been so rubbish at posting my work - it’s something I need to change but at the same time I definitely need to find a happy balance. I would love to get a Nokia - to force me away from my phone, but there is also the connection and inspiration that I enjoy. It’s probably more about discipline and not getting distracted. I recognise this is an issue for me! I have had this painting in a cupboard for almost 2 years!! I’ve just worked on it again to bring out a few more details - it will be seeing the light of day from now on and hopefully will find a loving home in the future!

#fox #hibernation #winter #seasons #treehollow #woodlandpainting #sleepingfox #silence #night #twilight #50x61cm

There was always going to be a badger joining the square brigade. With the inclusion of gold, this one feels a bit more embellished. I’m trying to decide whether they work better as individual squares or as a collection as a story without words. Some experimenting to do I think!

#miniatureart #badger #woodland #moon #magical #story #forest

Sometimes you stumble across old work and see it in a new light. This is a picture from 10 years ago - it was during a time of deep self reflection and experimenting with self portraits with other images I’d taken on the coast or in the woods. It’s nice to look back on these pictures - and even inspiring! My camera doesn’t get used any where near as much as it used to - but it is reminding me that I need to get out and take more pictures again.

#blackandwhitephotography #selfportrait #selfreflection #experimentalphotos #contemplation #mindfulness #ocean #sea #dreams #dreaming

I have artist friends working on massive canvasses - and meanwhile, here I am working on a 7cm x 7cm square. It should be quick work - but it’s quite a challenge - and the concentration is intense! Playful foxes catching feathers is one of this afternoon’s creations - maybe something for inspiration to make something bigger!

#cubs #feathers #playful #foxes #nature #whitefeather #dreams #magic #childrensillustration

I'm a day late! Yesterday was National Badger Day. "Brocktober" celebrates the crucial role badgers play in nature. This is the front cover I illustrated for the third book in the Fiery Fox series - "Fiery Fix and the Muddy Gift of Kindness" - a wonderful story by Teresa Davis @bearbooksltd.

Badgers play a pivotal role in maintaining the natural beauty and balance of our environment and help maintain healthy insect populations, disperse seeds, and aerate the soil through their digging activities. To find out more, follow the @badgertrust.

#kidlit #childrensbookillustrator #childrensillustrator #badgerconservation #wildlifeconservation #protectbadgers #ukwildlife #brocktober #badgertrust

Just the loveliest place to be! So many beautiful colours in the leaves and the sound of a buzzard circling above the trees. It was just what I needed today.

#grateful #autumn #woods #woodland #horseriding #peaceful #nature #mindfulness

Stories within stories - 6 more squares to add to the plot! I don’t even know what this story is about yet - how it starts or even how it ends but there is a theme emerging! I will continue to add to the squares as I’m really enjoying doing them.

Starting something new with squares. Mini stories that are still brewing and developing as I paint. What I have discovered is that painting within a 7cm x 7cm space is proving to be very satisfying! I can’t wait to finish the first set of 9 squares - I’ll post the finished paintings on here when they’re done!

By the way - should I still be using hashtags?? I’m not sure anymore?

A stunning morning to mark the autumn Equinox. Frosty breath and mist on the river.

“May your wishes be stars in an aurora lit sky, to be found by the moon.

This is where dreams come to life.”

My wish for you.

#aurora #northernlights #lake #childrensillustration #childrensbookillustration #doodles #sketchbook #stars #magic

Beautiful inspiration all around and a new box of oil pastels.

#oilpastels #fabercastell #finland #birchtrees

I have a rather large collection of glass jars (please tell me I’m not the only one?)! I just can’t throw them away and in the back of my mind, every year I think I’m going to start making jam or pickle something - I never do though. So - instead - I’ve collaged, painted, printed and dry-clayed my heart out to create these little beauties (a tip of the iceberg in terms of my jar collection) - it’s been fun and best of all - it’s given me a whole load of new ideas!

#creativeproject #upcycle #jarart #dryclay #rusticart #folkart

“His beautiful head. The head was that of the wildest of all wild creatures—a stallion born wild—and it was beautiful, savage, splendid. A stallion with a wonderful physical perfection that matched his savage, ruthless spirit.” ~ The Black Stallion

For anyone who knows me - this is my all time favourite film. I remember watching it, captivated by this beautiful horse and the boy who tamed his wild spirit. I could still watch this over and over again.

Using up a job lot of heart slates one by one - and slowly but surely the pile is going down.

#blackstallion #arabhorse #film #spiritualanimal #equestrianart #folkart #horse #elireesking

I discovered Rumi's poetry about 10 years ago - words that deeply spoke to me and provided great solace at that time. I still read his poems - sometimes just randomly choosing a page - there is so much wisdom and truth in what he wrote and as relevant today as I'm sure it was in the 13th century!

I found this illustration in my photo reels from last year - created while I was in Finland - I quite like the reflection in this, but I can't remember how I created it. Did I leave it white or paint over blue?

#finnishlake #suomi #miekankoski #koirakivi #finland #moonrise #rumiquotes #elireesking

I started this painting during last year’s Warwickshire Open Studios and it’s been sitting unfinished since then.

I’ve just spent a lovely couple of hours fine tuning what was already there and it’s satisfying to have finished it. This might just be the beginning of an otter theme based on a children’s story…more to come on this!

I love that there are otters in the river Avon (even though the fishermen might disagree!) despite the persistent pollution - I only hope this improves and the river and its wildlife recovers.

#riveranimals #otter #riverlife #cleanrivers #wildanimal #otterart #elireesking

Here is the past, here is the future, and here is the present day.

In this place, under the cool shade of ancient trees, I have lost myself and I have found myself in this beautiful forest filled with the magic of each season and those who have walked this path before.

Echoes of each chapter whispered through branches swaying in the summer breeze. The days of walking with small hands in mine, shrieks of happiness of boys swinging through trees on homemade rope swings, two little dogs racing through the bracken – my beautiful Coco’s (Cola) and Tom, hot chocolate and a cheese sandwich picnic on the trunk of a fallen beech, pockets full of pine cones, pebbles, and feathers...

I have bared my soul to this place when the world felt dark, but that was then…and now I walk these woods again, but with Holly the dog - and my heart is full as I live my dream of riding these paths on a beautiful chestnut horse – my lovely Tigger.

#ancientwoodland #forestryengland #sacredplace #foresthealing #forestbathing #sunlight #summerwoods #mysanctuary #memories #nostalgia #elireesking

Dusting off the big lens for a mini photo shoot of the fiery Tigger. He came to us as a tiny kitten - cute but his feral spirit was strong. He is now 5 years old and has become a loving cat (on his own terms of course) - and is also a very annoying cat who walks all over us at 5am for attention as well as bringing in mice at various times of the night - and quite disturbing - with sounds of ripping fur and crunching bones... Looks can be very deceiving!

Beauty is the garden scent of roses, murmuring water flowing gently...Can words describe the indescribable? ~ Rumi

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

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@elireesking

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