Introducing Eliza Mai Hinrichs

Eliza Mai Hinrichs is a Lafayette based painter from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her mother was the first person to put a paintbrush in her hand, introducing her to the arts at a very young age. Since then, Eliza has had many creative endeavors, and ultimately, painting became the major force in her creative language. She is driven by curiosity and inspired by all the colors and textures existing within the small intricacies of the world. Beyond painting, Eliza works as a pattern designer and studio assistant. She is a NOCCA alum, currently earning her BFA in painting at University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Her work has been shown in the Contemporary Arts Center, the Acadiana Center for the Arts, University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s Fletcher Hall, The Hallway Gallery, Tulane's Newcomb Art Center as well as other galleries and publications.

Who makes up your art circle?

I’d consider my art circle everyone I’ve ever met! While I may have stronger connections with some, every interaction has contributed in some way to my motivation and inspiration. I really value all the relationships I have at Acadiana Center for The Arts, UL’s Fine Art Department, Magnolia Collective, and Archives. Having a wide range of creatives to bounce ideas off of and just be inspired by is so valuable to me. 

How do you expand your art circle?

By allowing myself to show up fully in every way that I can even when it isn't comfortable. I have met so many amazing people by being open to new experiences. I really enjoy meeting creatives in other disciplines through local events like live music. It is interesting to find overlap amongst other creatives when you each produce something vastly different because usually the driving forces are similar. It is also important for me to seek out other artists on similar journeys to understand why I make the decisions I do while creating. I try to do this by reaching out whenever I notice something familiar happening in another artist’s work. 

What value do you see in having a creative community?

To have a community connected through art-making is a special thing that I believe is a necessary foundation for all. I find inspiration through my creative community and motivation to challenge myself. It’s because of my community that I can believe in myself and pursue my artistic journey fully. To me, creativity and expression is a natural and necessary act that we should all engage in together. It's another avenue for communication and connection. It’s all these parts of life that bring me so much joy, and I’m eternally grateful to be surrounded by creativity daily.

How does your artistic approach contribute to  your community?

When I paint, I am constantly responding and reacting to my world and the way my intuition is moving me. I am trying to illustrate the unspoken and underlying emotions that can only be imagined through paint. I hope through this, other people can find some sort of comfort and understanding the way other art does for me. My artistic approach is a response to my environment and an invitation to view something in a new way.