12 Questions with Lizzy Dalton
About you?
Lizzy Dalton, artist and owner of Lizzy Dalton Art
Why you started your company?
o I’ve been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember, and I always wanted to turn my passion for art into a career. I love nature and outdoor activities like rock climbing and hiking, and my goal was to create art that other outdoors enthusiasts could relate to and enjoy. I also want to keep my art accessible and affordable to everyone, which I why I started selling prints and stickers as well as original pieces.
How long has it been around? Where is it located?
o I started my business in 2015, when I began selling prints and original art on Etsy. I work out of my home studio in Southeast Portland.
How does your product represent Portland?
o Here in Portland we love to get outside! Whether it’s the mountains, the desert, rivers, forests, the coast – there are so many ways and opportunities to experience the outdoors in and around Portland. Many of my landscapes are inspired by places here in the Pacific Northwest that Portlanders know and love, but even the ones that aren’t still capture the love of outdoor recreation that many Portlanders share!
How can we get more of your products?
o You can shop products and learn more about me at lizzydaltonart.com, and follow me on Instagram at @lizzydaltonart. If you visit Portland, on weekends in the spring through fall you can find me selling my products at Portland Saturday Market.
How is it different from others?
o I use a lot of unconventional approaches in my artistic style. I utilize many illustrative and decorative motifs like bold outlines, repeating patterns, and geometric shapes, but I still strive to give my work an element of realism, and not look too cartoon-y or flat. I’m always experimenting with ways to create new effects with different materials or techniques, often combining media in unique ways or using uncommon media like acrylic inks, gel pens, and colored fineliner pens. I also strive for the highest possible quality in reproductions of my work, taking great care to ensure my prints look as close as possible to the originals, using archival materials to for long-lasting prints, and signing each one individually for a personal touch.
Why/How did Portland become your home?
o My partner and I were living in New York City, and for years we had our sights set on moving out west to be closer to mountains and rock climbing areas, since we are both avid climbers. We didn’t have an exact destination in mind, and considered other places like Seattle or Denver, but eventually my partner had an opportunity to transfer his job to Portland. We jumped on it and are glad we did!
How long have you lived in Portland?
o Since summer of 2015, so about 4 and a half years.
Favorite thing about Portland and why?
o I think it’s the fact that you really get the best of both worlds in Portland – the relatively easy access to nature and outdoor activities that more rural locations provide, as well as the perks of living in a bigger city: good food, cultural attractions like art and music, bike-ability and public transit, etc. I love the outdoors but don’t know that I’d want to live in the middle of nowhere with no good restaurants nearby!
Favorite season in Portland and why?
o Summer, without a doubt! The sun finally comes out, it doesn’t usually get too hot, and everybody is out and enjoying the beautiful weather!
Favorite place to visit? Food? Drinks? Activity? Hidden Gem?
o There are so many great places to eat in Portland! A few personal favorites are Abyssinian Kitchen (Ethiopian), Marukin (ramen), and Stammtisch (German). Food cart pods like Cartopia are a fun place to get together with friends when the weather is nice. I’m obsessed with good coffee, and there’s plenty here in Portland - Stumptown and Nossa Familia are a couple of my favorite local roasters. Hiking in the nearby Columbia River Gorge is always a favorite activity of mine – some trails worth checking out are Angel’s Rest, Dog Mountain, and Eagle Creek.
Where do you want to visit next?
o The list is so long it’s hard to pick just one! Maybe Iceland, or the Italian Dolomites, or Patagonia.