Eilleen Knott, an American artist, was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota and currently resides in Junction City, Oregon. Creating art has been her passion since she was in elementary school. Throughout her youth she continued to expand her knowledge of art and began making an income from painting custom tiles for residential and commercial markets. Success allowed her to expand her repertoire to creating art for luxury motor coaches. Knott led a team to paint a mural at a Makkah Indian Reservation school. Currently, Knott is a professional fine art painter. Though her mediums have changed over time, her art continues to radiate her celebration of rich color. Knott graduated from the Milan Art Institute and has sold her artwork, nationally and internationally.
Knott’s art is known as an adventure for the imagination as colors and figures are explored and revealed. “As an abstract realism artist, I had to push through my comfort zone into the rugged environment of creating beauty with paint”, Knott explains. Sometimes she uses brushes and sometimes a rubber spatula to paint. This allows her to let go of control and allow adventure in her creative process. “My challenge was one of self-discovery and that continues today, and will the rest of my life”, Knott adds.
Knott is a three-time breast cancer survivor and has not allowed that to define her. She prolifically paints in her Oregon studio where windows welcome the outdoors inside with views of lush green grass, twisted grape vines, fruit trees, colorful raspberries. Knott resides with her biggest fan, her husband Michael. Nearby are her two married children and five spirited grandchildren. They are a great source of joy, inspiration and hugs. Knott is currently has her fine art greeting cards in all of the Market of Choice Stores throughout Oregon and is in the process of working on her next colorful series and commission pieces.
'My art is an invitation to look into the window inside my hearts journey to experience a more authentic, fulfilling life, a life of Freedom. This journey was vital for me, to avoid a fear of personal passivity, resulting in just being a dot in the masses, where individuality is lost. If you think the path of discovery and delving into your imagination is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal! I dared to dream the possibilities and now I can’t stop, it’s as if I’ve stepped into another world.'