Meet the Artist: Eileen Dorsey, Eileen Dorsey Studio

By Kelli Comer

Nature has been known to convey its true beauty intrinsically, but Cleveland artist Eileen Dorsey takes it to an even higher level with her landscape-inspired artwork.

Like Impressionist movement painters, Eileen focuses on an established light or mood in her works. She uses her sense of color to push the boundaries of what is realistic and what is suggested—and the result is sheer beauty.

“Exploring in the woods as a child instilled in me an appreciation for nature and all of the colors and textures found in it,” Eileen recalls. “I continue with that exploration as an adult as I push the boundaries of color and textures in my paintings.”

Growing up on the west side of Cleveland, Eileen studied art at Kent State University, receiving a bachelor of fine arts degree in 2006. Since graduation, Eileen continued to hone her craft, constantly create new work and show it as often as she could.

“In September 2009, I signed the lease to my studio inside the 78th Street Studios in Cleveland,” Eileen explains. “This was a turning point in my career. A year later we decided to have monthly art walks on the third Friday of each month. The foot traffic was minimal. We only attracted 18 people back then. Now we get about 1,800.”

Having a regular audience coming to appreciate her work has helped Eileen grow, both personally and professionally. She is now fortunately a full-time artist, letting her creativity flow each day as her chosen career. 

For the past six years, Eileen’s focus has been on landscapes. Her most recent work was inspired by a hiking trip to Colorado. Her painting “Colorado Hike 1” was the second runner up winner of the 2016 Akron Art Prize.

“When I first started, I would paint images as accurately as I could manage. With each year that passed I became looser with my approach,” Eileen declares. 

“I began to abstract the colors and the actual images. I relied less and less on photographic references I had taken, and more on my own creative intuitions.”

To reach Eileen, you can email her at eileen@eileendorsey.com. Eileen’s work can be found at Eileen Dorsey Studio, located in the 78th Street Studios at 1305 West 80th Street, Suite 105, in Cleveland. Her work can also be found on her website at EileenDorsey.com, and you can get regular updates on her show and exhibit schedule on Facebook at Eileen Dorsey Studio.