Essence of an Artist: Follow Your Dream: Loren Ellis, an Auto-Bio
of Her Art, poetry and Life.
reviewer: Elavarasi Charles Oct. 9. 2025
Loren Ellis takes readers on a captivating journey through the marrow of her life—her photography, art, and poetry—in her book Essence of an Artist: Follow Your Dream…
It is an autobiography where art speaks the loudest. She gives a brief introduction to her early life and then delves straight into her art portfolios. She has mastered the art of photographic painting, where tradition meets modernity, astonishing many through her exhibitions over the years. It was hard for me not to stare at her collections for hours. As she says, her artworks are hard to explain but easy to feel, like a dream that is so vivid yet impossible to put into words. Multiple negatives from her camera align in a sensual dance, telling a striking story to the viewer. In them, colors float in harmony, making each piece mesmerizing to the eyes. Underwater Sunset, Bird in Flight, and Sea Oats Blowing on Pas a Grill Beach are a few in particular that left me speechless. I could only imagine what they might look like in real life, grand and deep in every sense of consciousness.
She also added her poetry pieces to show where her mind drifts the most. Her messages were adorned so beautifully with rhythm. Part of her work was inspired by the photographic paintings she created, which deepened their meaning. Through her environmentalist lens, she curated pieces that reflected anger, care, and warning. She also let the words draw an elegant picture of dance, music, time, and life in general. It was hard to pick, but My Yellow Cloth is my favorite of them all. ‘Diaphanous, soft, and light,’ she describes it, connecting it to many delicate moments of her life and creating an intimate sense of nostalgia. In fact, all of her poetry reflects the vulnerable truths of life—sadness, happiness, and passion.
She has included pictures capturing all her important events and memories. She has also included stories of interesting people she met. Among them, the story of Louis Delk, a bridge tender for 18 years, moved me the most. His views on the world were simple yet strong. Every page pulls readers into her artful world and gently fans the creative fire into flames. Just as she wishes, I am sure this book will inspire many around the world to never stop creating in whatever field they are drawn to.
The editing, along with the arrangement of the book’s contents, is an art in itself. Complete with thoughtful quotes from Lao Tzu and many others, including her own, the compilation of Loren’s life is neat and perfectly arranged. I gladly give this masterpiece a 5 out of 5 for sparking an artistic transformation in life. There is nothing I would like to change about this book, not even some tasteful imperfections that add personal beauty to it. There is no use of profane language, but considering some mature art pieces, I suggest this book to readers above 15 years of age. Want an art bundle by your side to keep your creativity burning? Grab a physical copy of Essence of an Artist and feel its thumbprint echo in your heart.