“Without a question, a love letter to Topsfield.” We are excited to unveil the newest additions our art collection: prints by local Artist Eli 5 Stone highlighting Topsfield. Check out our interview with the artist!

The Topsfield Town Library is excited to unveil our newest additions to our art collection! We’ve purchased three beautiful prints highlighting the Town of Topsfield by local artist Eli 5 Stone. These beautiful prints will be installed above the library’s Circulation Desk on the first floor of the library.

We had the pleasure of chatting with Eli 5 Stone about his passion for art, the town of Topsfield, and life in general!

How’d you get interested in art?

Eli 5 Stone: I cannot say there was ever a point in time when art and making art were not interesting to me. I have never had a desire to become anything other than the artist I was born as. Nor have I ever been able to leave art by choice. So many teens are asked, “What field are you going to go into?” I could have answered that question at seven years old, for better or for worse. Options are great, but I have never had a choice as to whether or not I am an artist, if that doesn’t sound too pretentious.

Who or what are your inspirations?

The posters featured in this library are, without a question, a love letter to Topsfield. I really enjoy walking my dog, Teddy, around Meredith Farm and its beautiful hand-placed stone walls. In the summer, the trees explode with color, and in the winter, with heavy snow in the woods, everything looks like a black-and-white photograph.

What are your preferred mediums? What is your creative process?

I have always worked in black line, whether with a watercolor brush and ink, a pen, or a computer stylus; black lines (like cartooning) have always been my method of visual communication. It wasn’t until last summer, after seeing golden hay rolls on a sunny day, that I began wanting to express myself in color alone. I work in Adobe Photoshop and hand-draw from reference photos that I take.

How do you balance creating art and your family?

Poorly! But for a good reason: I am extremely passionate about both. I especially enjoy cooking for my family, and any parent will tell you that it can be an artform in itself. If I were just making posters and being a dad, that would be quite a bit. But I have a day job on top of that – I am a freelance illustrator (I am currently making art for action figure boxes). And if that weren’t enough, I am finishing up writing my first novel, “BRICK MANNIGAN: PUBIC DICK”! It’s a busy life for sure.

Tell us a bit about the three prints recently acquired by the Topsfield Town Library.

When I was too little to choose where my eyes were going, my mother used to take me to the Beverly Public Library, and I would look up at the posters there. To my young eyes, they were huge and quite impressive – I remember one Art Deco cat in particular that I liked. I cannot help but think that this had a profound impact on me as a visual thinker. Now, fifty years later, I get to be that person who inspired me. It’s a dream come true.

What’s next for you?

Publishing my novel, and then on to the audiobook! I am also currently freelancing for Big Bad Toy Store, creating art for their new The Tick toy line. 

Eli 5 Stone is currently taking art commissions. Feel free to contact him directly; his email is eli5stone@gmail.com.