Detail of Espresso Angel by Karen Eland. Click for full image.

People have been spoofing iconic works of art for decades as a form of creative, or re-creative, expression. Following this time-honored tradition is American artist Karen Eland [website]. Her versions of classic masterpieces include works by Matisse, Picasso, and of course Bouguereau. But instead of using paint she creates her artwork with… coffee. In her own words:

“Coffee art is a truly unique art form. It requires a thoughtful and delicate touch. Capturing the depth of these classic works is only possible through a slow and sophisticated process of building layers upon layers of espresso.

I first thought of the idea of painting with coffee while watching rich, red-brown espresso pouring perfectly into my cup. As I enjoyed my hot latte, it occured to me that perhaps I could take my passion for coffee to a deeper level. So I dipped my brush and began painting, and to my delight, it worked beautifully.

Painting with coffee is a completely enjoyable experience…Most often I paint in the coffee shop immersed in the delicious aroma of freshly ground coffee and sounds of low conversation, steam, and grind, which continue to inspire me as I watch my brush add new dimensions to the painting.”

Shown above is a detail of Karen’s version of Bouguereau’s 1889 work Whisperings of Love. She also made an espresso edition of Bouguereau’s Pastourelle (Shepherdess, 1889). Below you can compare the original and the remastered versions of both paintings. Click to visit the galleries where you will discover many more contemporary versions of the original works.