In a world dominated by images of perfection and a constant exposure to strive for the perfect life, expectations can often be too high and unrealistic. Elena uses her work as an outlet to break the conformity and explores the contradiction between external preconceptions versus the internal desire to believe in one’s own self-worth. Elena explores what is happiness? How do external factors influence the health of the mind? Can the coding of the mind be rebalanced? Elena uses art to unmask and examine human vulnerabilities through the use of graphic imagery to highlight the expectations of perfection and precision, contrasted with loose expressive marks to reveal that imperfections are what makes you who you are.

Biography

Born in 1971 in Cambridge, Elena spent her early childhood living in Austria and Mexico, then returned to Cambridge and finally settled North of London. After completing an art foundation course, Elena graduated with a BA Hons. Degree in Fashion with Marketing, which led to working in the fashion industry and design agencies for many years. Now able to dedicate time to consolidating ideas and achievements in the development of her new style as an artist. During her life, she has been in close contact with and has supported, several people with those varying degrees of challenging mental health issues which are so little understood by many. This led her to depict, through current works, the violent contrast between pain and inherent creativity expressed by the sufferers – the distinction between fearful and beautiful – and the need for understanding. Elena’s work reflects a graphic, figurative, stylistic approach complemented with expressive brush marks and use of skeletal, ominous and thought-provoking imagery, combined with uplifting, vibrant, neon colours. Inspired by multi-disciplinary artists from Kahlo and Basquiat to Rauschenberg and Hirst, she has established her own unique cross-disciplinary style through the use of mixed media, complimenting fine art with conceptual art.