MEET ELENA, OUR FOUNDER
"Elso Collective is my ever-evolving expression of creativity. My passion for art, quality and sustainability drives me to design and create unique pieces of art that can be treasured for a lifetime."
MY JOURNEY
Launching your first business can be scary. It took six years of designing and planning before I had the courage to launch Elso Jewellery.
Elso Jewellery came from my need to create something that I was passionate about, something that would give me a reason to get out of bed everyday. It also came from my love of art and the opportunity I saw to create something more than jewellery: timeless, wearable art.
Elso Studio and Elso Ceramics began as ways to express my creative energy and to help with my anxiety. I find that when I work with my hands it is the only time I can shut off my mind. Creating art and ceramics is something I truly love and my ultimate goal in life is to wake up doing what I love. That is how and why Elso Collective was born. I want to share my art in all its forms and my journey with you.
Elso is a combination of my name, Elena, and my sister’s name, Sophia. While she does not work in the business, she continues to support me and Elso Collective.
Elso Collective is a dream that I conceived and built on my own and I am so excited to share this journey with you!
MY INSPIRATION
I have been painting and creating for as long as I can remember and Picasso has long been an inspiration to me. He changed the way people looked and created art. Art became less about painting what you see and more about painting how you feel. During my exploration of Picasso I discovered the many muses who influenced some of his most iconic pieces like The Weeping Woman. However, they were more than muses, they were forces in the art world themselves.
As a fellow female artist I want to celebrate them. Elso Collective’s designs echo the art movements pioneered by Picasso but are inspired by his trailblazing female muses.
Each piece of Elso is named after Picasso’s muses because they are my true inspiration.
MY PROCESS
ELSO JEWELLERY
I searched high and low to find my jeweller. His name is David and he owns a small jewellery making business in Melbourne. Together, we work relentlessly on turning my designs into my dream. We ideate, draw and create together to bring you unique and high quality jewellery.
Elso Jewellery brings together contemporary practices that come with technology advancement while respecting traditional jewellery making techniques. My designs are 3D printed and turned into moulds for lost wax casting. We use this method because it minimises wastage and I love the intimacy of making each piece individually.
ELSO STUDIO
Each Elso Studio piece is painted in my Melbourne studio.
Before I start a new collection, I spend hours on my iPad using Procreate to sketch. It starts as a late night exercise as I find my mind is not my enemy anymore. Once I have a vision in mind, I will move to my fine art paper and begin painting.
Each time I paint I have a vision in mind but not a concrete plan. I let my vision connect with my emotions and see where that journey takes me.
ELSO CERAMICS
Each Elso Ceramics piece is hand built in my Melbourne studio.
I being making each piece with a ball of clay. I don't have a shape in mind when I start. I let the clay guide me.
I start by using the pinching technique to create the base of my ceramics piece. I then use individual coils to build the piece, it is usually after the first 3 or 4 coils that I can see what I want to turn this piece into. I really let my hands and my emotions guide me.
Nothing beats the proud feeling of making something from nothing except for sharing it with you!
