Before the pandemic began last year, Pikesville resident Liora Eichhorn says she didn’t even know that she enjoyed creating art, and she certainly didn’t know she had a gift for painting.
But as the old expression goes, necessity is the mother of invention, and Liora’s mother, Lemore Carmi, knew her 16-year-old daughter needed a creative outlet to keep busy while the Beth Tfiloh High School student was stuck at home.
About two weeks ago, Liora, a rising junior and Chizuk Amuno congregant, launched her own website, “Liora’s Canvas.” The website allows visitors to peruse 75 distinct designs created by Liora that run the gamut from nature scenes, abstract works, collages, pop stars, sport figures and more. Most of the images originate from Pinterest or other social media platforms, she says.
Liora says she’s inspired by all kinds of art and doesn’t limit herself to certain themes or influences by particular artists. Since her website went live, she says she has earned about $300 from the sales of her artwork.
She hopes that getting the word out about her new site will attract more customers.
At the outset of the pandemic, “I was bored and just spending a lot of time on my phone,” Liora says. “Then, I got this pack of paint-by-numbers [kits] and I really liked it. So [last summer] my mom said, ‘Since you’re not going to camp, I’m going to buy a whole bunch of art supplies.’ I just started painting, looking at ideas online, and then I thought I could pursue this in a way.”
That’s when she came up with the idea of selling her work on the internet.
When finding images she likes, Liora says she initially sketches them out in pencil and then fills them in with paint. More intricate images are traced before being painted.
Typically, Liora paints on canvases measuring 16-by-20 inches, but her paintings can be smaller or larger. Depending on the complexity of the design, Liora says her paintings require between an hour to several days to complete.
Her favorites include an oversized painting called “Superwoman Queen of Hearts,” which sells for $170, and a two-piece work titled “Nature’s Puzzle” priced at $40.
Liora says she soon plans to start painting on other types of surfaces. “My mom found this thing called [painted] brick books. They look like books, and people put them in their gardens and they’re really, really cute,” she says. Brick books can also be used as doorstops, bookends or even to add color or intrigue to one’s bookshelves. For the bat mitzvah reception of her younger sister, Maytal, Liora designed a mirror that guests could sign.
By the way, art connoisseurs aren’t limited to the paintings that appear on Liora’s website. “On the bottom of my website, I have a contact box. If people have painting ideas or certain requests, I’ll do it for them. I like trying new things,” says Liora, who plans to add Jewish-themed images to her offerings in the near future.
Since discovering her creative talent, Liora has considered pursuing art after graduating from high school. But recognizing that art is “a risky career,” she says it’s more likely she will study medicine or business.
“Art,” Liora says, “would definitely be a cool side job, though.”
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