Park Han-sol reports on Korea's financial regulators, along with fintech and insurance. She previously wrote about the art world, from biennales and exhibitions to fairs and auctions, with a focus on Seoul and the figures shaping the scene. Before joining The Korea Times, she spent a year at ABC News' Seoul bureau, contributing to coverage of major Asia-Pacific events.
INTERVIEW One joyful brushstroke at a time, artist paints everyday magic
Australian artist Elizabeth Langreiter / Courtesy of Dcommunication
By Park Han-sol
Elizabeth Langreiter’s journey into painting began with a bizarre twist of fate: a tennis ball to the back of the head.
It happened during a match in 2008, when her partner served a ball that struck her squarely — an unexpected jolt that left her with lingering pain and swelling. Though medical scans revealed no lasting damage, something deeper had shifted.
“Out of nowhere, I just felt this urge to start painting,” the Australian artist recalled in a recent interview with The Korea Times. Although her father had been a hobby painter, she herself had never studied art at school, nor had she ever felt any interest in going to galleries.
“Something was switched on that day,” she continued.
It was as if a hidden part of her had been awakened by the blow, and with it, a passion for art she never knew she carried all along. “Maybe I just needed that knock on the head to turn it on.”
Elizabeth Langreiter's "Forever Love" (2025) / Courtesy of the artist and Dcommunication
Since then, for nearly two decades, Langreiter has never put her brush down.
Working almost daily in her home studio in New South Wales, she conjures scenes of everyday magic — Australia’s sun-drenched beaches, Europe’s wildflower fields, snow-blanketed Alpine ski resorts and faraway tropical islands — all unfolding in vibrant color across her canvases.
Now, some 60 of her joyful acrylic paintings and limited-edition prints, including 30 new originals created especially for the occasion, have arrived in Seoul for her latest exhibition at Museum 209.
Installation view of Elizabeth Langreiter's solo exhibition, "Everyday Can Be Holidays!" at Museum 209 in southern Seoul / Courtesy of the artist and Dcommunication
"Everyday Can Be Holidays!” is the title of the show, which offers a momentary escape into sunlit paradise just as Seoul swelters in the grip of midsummer heat.
In the artist's signature textured surfaces, tiny human figures are sculpted from thick, layered paint to rise playfully from otherwise flat landscapes. Courtesy of the artist and Dcommunication
It also invites viewers to witness up close the artist’s signature textured surfaces, where tiny human figures sculpted from layers of thick paint rise playfully from otherwise flat landscapes.
The idea first took shape in 2016, when Langreiter came across a drone photo of people swimming off the Australian coast.
“I looked at that photo and thought, I can’t wait to go home and paint this. But how can I make it more fun, more alive?” she said. “That’s when I decided to make the people three-dimensional and textured.”
This comes through vividly in the largest piece featured in the exhibition: “Let’s Have Fun.” The painting captures a bustling beach scene teeming with sunbathers lounging on towels, swimmers and surfers riding the waves. It’s a tableau full of life, chaotic yet somehow nostalgic.
Elizabeth Langreiter's "Let's Have Fun" (2024) / Courtesy of the artist and Dcommunication
Langreiter’s worlds, though idyllic, never feel completely removed from our own. Her version of paradise isn’t unreachable, but is rather grounded in the quiet, everyday joys that surround us.
Why is it important for her to remind people to cherish these simple, fleeting moments?
“I believe that happiness is a choice, and I want people to choose the happy moments to remember. I try to encourage people to forget about the news and the harsh reality as often as they can, particularly in their own homes,” the artist noted.
“But I paint, first and foremost, for myself. Even if no one ever bought my work, I would still create pieces I’d be happy to live with. That makes it easier to keep going, because I’m actually painting for me. I start with what I want to create.”
“Everyday Can Be Holidays!” runs through Sept. 28.