Today we’d like to introduce you to Elena Øhlander.
Elena, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Since childhood, I spent many hours making art as a catharsis for coping with traumatic events in my environment. I finally took some formal art classes in my high school years and I was completely immersed. I ended up getting kicked out of high school and had no direction or support. When I turned twenty-one, I gave birth my daughter, Phoenix and my whole direction changed. I got my GED, enrolled in college full-time while I made money working in the service industry. I graduated with a BFA in Photography, I felt it may be a more stable income while feeding my desire for creativity. After that, I felt something tactile was missing in my photographic works and quit slinging drinks in August of 2017, to pursue making art full-time. I just gathered all of my art supplies from over the years and created a dedicated space to making illustrations. I had no idea where it would go or if anyone would take any interest in my little world. My illustrations had no particular direction at that time. Then I realized, my daughter took interest in every piece I created, very inquisitive and a yearning to know more about process, technique and what these girls represented. This was an opportunity to really connect with her in a unique manner. I began exploring Japanese culture more in-depth as a way to preserve her culture and inform her identity as an American Asian. My work gained momentum from there and although there are more aspects of her heritage I would like to preserve in my work, for now, I am still focused on identity, Japanese culture, and female empowerment.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My perception of what a full-time artist life would look like and what it is, are two wholly different things. I thought I would just enjoy every moment doing what I love and genuinely connecting with others. Although that is mostly true, more than fifty percent of my time is spent on the business end of things. I’ve come to learn that every artist is a small business and that can be a lot to take on and you certainly learn a lot along the way. In this respect, we become modern day renaissance people, being our own manager, website developer, photographer, public relations specialist, social media manager, accountant, etcetera. I think the biggest struggle I’ve had to face is time-management. Being a mother and finding balance between all domesticated things and my work has been a struggle but at the end of the day, it is always worth it.
Please tell us more about your art.
The best way I know how to describe my work as a visual artist is mixed media illustration. It began much more simple in nature and grew to be a more complex process. It wasn’t a contrived thing, only in hindsight I realize how much the work has evolved. Feminine identity, individuality, and preserving heritage as a way to connect with my daughter and others, is what I am most proud of. To this day, I am most known for my Kintsugi Ramen Girls from the overarching body of work entitled I Think I’m Going Japanese. With these works in particular, I had so much to convey in a fun and whimsical manner. There is a female figure, bathing in ramen while she slurps noodles in a bowl that is kintsugi. Kintsugi is a Japanese form of repairing pottery utilizing gold to fill in the cracks; that which is a metaphor that allows our cracks to show and that we become a wholly more beautiful being for what we have been through in life. I wanted to explore the notion that females are often manipulated by the male gaze and often looked at as something to be consumed or fetishized. I get questions if I will be making any more of these Kintsugi Ramen Girls, and although I feel successful in my intentions resonating with the audience, I may return to them in a renewed sense soon.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My goals for the future are to explore other parts of mine and my daughter’s heritage in my work, which includes Norwegian, Chinese and Philippine culture. Both of my parents are immigrants to this country and focused more on assimilating and blending than preserving and teaching their respective countries customs, language and culture. I spent a long time searching for my individual identity in this American landscape and its a journey perhaps I will always be taking. I wanted to equip my daughter with all these things I’ve discovered in a fun way through my work, so it may better inform her identity as she grows up.
I have my sights set on Los Angeles when it comes to making a major impact with my audience. There is an inexplicable connection with illustrative narratives happening in their art culture, and I would love to be a part of the conversation.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.elenaohlander.com
- Email: elena@elenaohlander.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elena_ohlander/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elenaohlander/
Image Credit:
Toni Smailagic, Michelle Calloway, Elena Øhlander
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