Elise Windus is a Chinese brush painting artist based in Smithville, Tennessee, whose work brings traditional Chinese brush techniques into watercolor, ink, rice paper, and ceramic underglazes. Her practice focuses on capturing the spirit, or Ch’i, of the natural world rather than creating a photographic likeness, with subjects inspired by birds, flowers, trees, and the landscape around her home.

 Elise began formal art study as a child at the Fitchburg Art Museum in Massachusetts, where one of her watercolor paintings received honorable mention and was exhibited at the museum. She later continued her artistic practice while teaching chemistry and physics in public high schools, and studied Chinese watercolor painting in Houston with internationally known artist Peihong Endris.

Her work has been shown in Smithville, Cookeville, and McMinnville, Tennessee, as well as Houston, Texas. Most recently, a piece of hers was accepted into the 63rd Annual Juried Exhibition of the Sumi-e Society of America, Inc. in Bee Cave, Texas, near Austin. She is currently creating paintings inspired by hummingbirds, tulip trees, and irises in her own yard.