About Ara
Ara Elizabeth's art, like her life, explores the line between nature and fantasy, between the secret lives of animals and the poetry of flowers, between the imagination of children and the promise of independence.
Ara lives her life seeking light and inspiration. To know her is to know her warmth, empathetic understanding, and, if you’re open, her magic. If you get the chance, let it wash over you, find its way into your spirit, and promise to pass it on.
Ara has three incredible children—Wren, Kaj, and Freyja—who are her collective North Star.
Ara was born in 1980 in Saint Paul, Minnesota. She grew up with her parents and younger sister, Tresse. Ara remembers a childhood filled with freedom and creativity. Ara's mom is a designer, sewer, calligrapher, entrepreneur and creative in everything she touches. Her father a writer and avid reader, infusing Ara's life with the love of words, authors, and long Saturdays curled up in bookstores (bonus if there is a resident cat).
Ara grew up in a house her parents built, her yard next to acres of park land and undeveloped prairies and woods. Time in and connected to nature was, and continues to be, critical and instrumental in everything she does. Climbing trees, whispering to flowers, and talking to animals will forever hold the most magic.