By the time this is published, Eliza Carver will be on a 21-day trip down the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River.
Carver grew up in a small town in Vermont with a pen and paper in hand. From a young age, she showed a love for both drawing and the outdoors. Fortunately, that excitement never waived. As an adult, Carver combined those passions into crafting light-hearted, whimsical art designs that represent the same playfulness she felt as a kid.
Back in 2014, Carver graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in studio art and minor in marketing. Afterwards, she worked a design internship with the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) in Lander, Wyo. After a winter working as a ski tech in Jackson Hole, Wyo., she played with the idea of going down a guide path for work. However, her career ultimately focused on art, still often intersecting with outdoor companies.
In 2015 she accepted a position at Wet Planet Whitewater Rafting as a full-time designer, where she worked for two years before shifting to part-time freelance.
“I did not know anything about White Salmon or the Gorge for that matter when I moved out,” she stated. But once Carver arrived, leaving was out of the question. “The community of people and the river are two things I love dearly. It’s why I stayed. Doing after-work laps on the river, skiing, or just evenings with friends are so special.”
After delicately balancing design work and nannying for years, Carver became a full-time freelance designer in 2020 with a push from the pandemic.
Holographic stickers for the Columbia Gorge Juinor Kayak Club, a local organization dedicated to connecting youth in the Gorge to whitewater kayaking.
Contributed photo
“I felt like I had the right connections to start spreading my wings in that way,” she said. “I’ve always envisioned myself freelancing to be fluid in where I live, and I have a style that I’ve been nurturing,” she said.
There’s no mistaking Carver’s doodle art. One of her signature designs is small figures in motion. The characters often illustrate an outdoor sport such as kayaking, skiing, or biking.
“I try to portray a humanness in the characters. Their silly body positions,” she stated. “Sometimes I gender them, but I like that they’re genderless because everyone can relate to them.”
The roots of the characters date back to college. At the University of Vermont, the end of finals is celebrated with a naked bike ride around campus. Even Carver joined for a lap, she said.
“Everyone has a great time,” she said “After that event, I had a ton of sketches of hilarious nude college students running around. That energy, excitement and playfulness was something that I wanted to capture and portray in these characters... It’s like the way I ski: sometimes I have it all together, but other times I’m flailing everywhere.”
According to Carter, the outdoors are inherently a part of a lot of her designs. Not just in their content, but in the way that she creates them.
Finished mural at Tokki Art Supplies.
Contributed photo
“My artwork reflects my love of playing outside with people,” she said. “It’s hand-drawn in a way that’s very natural and connected to a more abstract element of nature that we all play in.”
The Gorge is always present in her artwork, Carver said, whether it’s the scenery and outdoors, or the people that make up the community that she cherishes.
“There are a lot of really special businesses that I have been able to connect with through my art. I enjoy making artwork for local businesses because it feels like it directly uplifts my community.”
Carver is also a member of the Gorge Women’s Business Council out of Trout Lake, and she designs for them as well. She said the group has helped to connect her to others, both personally and professionally. Through the council, she’s found opportunities for growth and learning, and has been able to receive feedback from other woman business owners.
According to Carver, some of her favorite projects she’s done in the Gorge have been murals.
Concept art of the mural at The Clay Commons.
Contributed photo
“Janet (O’Sullivan), owner of Tokki Art Supply, reached out to paint a mural at her store. It’s one of the first murals I painted on the Hood River side,” she said. “She gave me so much creative freedom and I love the way it turned out. It ties my personal and commercial work together really well.”
It was far from the last mural she designed and painted. Other places to spot Carver’s work include a local pottery studio, The Clay Commons, and evo Hood River, a ski, snowboard, and mountain bike shop. Beyond the murals, Carver’s art can also be spotted locally on Immersion Research t-shirts, Outdoor Vino’s wine bottles, and holographic stickers for Columbia Gorge Junior Kayak Club. The list is endless.
“The more time I’ve spent in the Gorge, the more connections I’ve made,” she said. “It’s neat, because I have this immense love for my community in the Gorge and the people that have pulled me up.”
Carver is available for mural installation, illustration, graphic design, motion design, and more. She loves any art project that takes her eyes off a screen. Find her on Instagram @elizacarver, or get in touch through her website, www.elizacarver.com/. Some of her work can also be seen at Moon River Studio in Bingen.
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