


Least of These
Elise Aleman
Lease of These. 2018
Oil on Canvas
11.5 x 18.5 inches
Elise Aleman
Lease of These. 2018
Oil on Canvas
11.5 x 18.5 inches
Elise Aleman
Lease of These. 2018
Oil on Canvas
11.5 x 18.5 inches
This work is from my series Quiet Reverie.
Traveling through the hills and quiet corners of Lacoste, France, I found not only a new landscape, but a deeper reflection of my own journey. These works weave together scripture, personal experience, and fleeting moments of human encounter — the daydreams, questions, and spiritual echoes that accompany every pilgrim's path. They are fragments of longing, reverence, and discovery, offered in visual form.
In the quiet spaces of life — in overlooked faces, ancient streets, and fleeting glances — truth often hides in plain sight. This series explores moments where the sacred lingers just beyond view, casting shadows that remind us of both our frailty and our worth. Each piece draws from scripture and lived experience, inviting the viewer to step into that in-between space where questions dwell, and grace waits quietly.
Across time and geography, the human story unfolds — fragile, flawed, and searching. Inspired by my time abroad and rooted in biblical narrative, these paintings reflect the intersection of earthly experience and eternal truth. In moments of struggle, compassion, failure, and reverence, we glimpse where flesh meets spirit — where the divine interrupts the ordinary, and the unseen brushes against the tangible.
Inspired by Matthew 25:40-45 Jesus tells His disciples to be kind to the less privileged, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.”
“I was taking photos at Coulée Verte René-Dumont in Paris when I noticed a cluster of open umbrellas, as I zoomed in, I spotted a homeless woman hiding behind them just as she glanced up at me. We exchanged silent empathy.” Elise