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Elena Strohfeldt has all the time used artwork as a type of self-expression. In highschool, she experimented with summary panorama portray, however determined to check psychology at college as an alternative and put her artwork ‘on pause’.
‘I turned so career-driven and consumed by the day by day grind that I forgot to take time for myself and my creativity, but it surely did really feel like a bit was lacking,’ Elena says.
‘In January of 2018, I used to be a sufferer of a violent assault as I waited at a bus cease, on my method to work one Tuesday morning. I used to be nearly killed and had by no means been so misplaced. It made me query every little thing.’
Searching for a reprieve in such a painful and darkish time pushed her to select up a paintbrush once more, and reconnect along with her artistic aspect. Then, when she misplaced her job in 2020 as a result of pandemic and was fighting anxiousness she found one other silver lining – her knack and keenness for ceramics.
‘A pal kindly gifted me a pottery equipment and one afternoon I took it out and commenced to have a play. I actually liked how I felt after creating my piece, and as corny because it sounds, the remaining actually is historical past.’
Elena spent hours at residence enjoying with clay as a profoundly therapeutic method to work via her trauma, channelling it into vases and vessels with natural folds and visual textures. She is totally self-taught, having learnt hand constructing methods from social media and YouTube tutorials earlier than connecting with skilled makers like Mark Gambino and Yenara White from Yen Ceramics.
Quick-forward two brief years, and Elena’s enterprise, Elso Collective, has flourished. Her latest ‘Lotus Assortment’ options whimsical vases in pure toned clays with an endearingly earthy high quality, mimicking the shapes of flowers in bloom. Elena crafts them from her light-filled residence studio in Melbourne, working each time inspiration strikes earlier than sending off the completed works to a formidable checklist of stockists together with Makers’ Mrkt, Bison Artwork and Elka Collective shops.
In Elena’s personal phrases, her love of artwork was ‘reignited when she wanted it most’, however her success can also be a credit score to her overwhelming resilience.
‘The method of hand constructing has achieved wonders for my psychological well being’ she says. ‘Nothing beats the proud feeling you get whenever you make a bit that you simply love’.
Store Elena’s work via Elso Collective, or through one among her stockists.
For those who or somebody you recognize is fighting their psychological well being, you’ll be able to contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Past Blue on 1300 22 46 36.
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