Stevie Elphick

My work explores the relationship between architecture, colour and our emotional connection to place.

My current series, Places & Spaces, began after I moved from Vancouver to Mexico City in 2026. I found myself surrounded by an entirely different visual language, where colourful buildings, tropical vegetation and dramatic shadows became constant sources of inspiration.

Rather than painting specific locations, I combine elements from architecture, interiors, photography and everyday surroundings to create imagined environments. A chair might come from one reference, a wall from another, while the surrounding colours, shadows and botanical elements are reinterpreted entirely.

I simplify these spaces into bold geometric compositions, using flat planes of colour, strong architectural shadows and intentional negative space. Plants and natural elements introduce texture and dimension, creating a contrast with the clean lines of the architecture.

Colour plays a central role in my work. I am particularly drawn to unexpected combinations and the way a single saturated colour can transform the mood of an otherwise minimal space.

Ultimately, I want my paintings to evoke a feeling rather than document a place. I create environments that feel familiar yet slightly idealized, somewhere between a memory, a daydream, and a place you wish you could step into.