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
It took years of designing and planning before I had the courage to launch Elso Jewellery. My need to create something that would give me a reason to get out of bed everyday manifested into Elso Jewellery. It also came from my love for art as an opportunity arose where I could take it beyond just jewellery.
So after 6 long years spent drawing sketches at night while balancing work during the day...I finally launched Elso Jewellery! There's nothing quite comparable when starting up a company out of pure passion and love.
As a creative person, creating art and ceramics has always been an outlet for me. It is the only time I can shut off my mind and have some peace of mind as well. My ultimate goal in life was to wake up doing what I love every day no matter how difficult it may be; that's when Elso Collective came into being, with its sole purpose of sharing beauty from all forms including paintings, pottery and jewellery on this journey we call "life."
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 business that I started on my own. It's been so hard to get it off the ground, but now with your help we can make this dream come true!
MY INSPIRATION
I have been painting and creating for as long as I can remember, but Picasso has always served a major inspiration to me. He changed the way we look at paintings by using colour in unusual ways that represent how he felt about something more than just what it looked like on an individual level.
Picasso's Weeping Woman is a staple of modern art. But who are the women so intimately associated with his work? During my exploration, I found out about Picasso's many muses that influenced some of his most iconic pieces like The Weeping Woman. They were more than just muses though, they were forces in the world as well--creative and otherwise!
Picasso's female muses are women I can relate to. Elso Collective celebrates these trailblazing females through art that reflects the styles of Picasso and his muses, but is inspired by their own experiences as artists.
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.
When you think of jewellery, the first thing that comes to mind is a delicate gold necklace or diamond earrings. But what if I told you there was more than one way to create these beautiful pieces? Elso Jewellery combines contemporary practices with traditional techniques by 3D printing designs and turning them into moulds for lost wax casting. This process minimises wastage as every piece is created individually!
ELSO STUDIO
Each Elso Studio piece is hand painted in my Melbourne studio.
I used to struggle with anxiety but now I find solace in sketching on my iPad. Using my iPad to sketch on Procreate, I take hours to craft a vision. Once I have the perfect idea in mind for my latest collection of paintings, it's time to move onto paper and bring that concept into life with paint strokes.
ELSO CERAMICS
Each Elso Ceramics piece is hand built in my Melbourne studio.
I start by gently pinching the clay with my fingers to create a base. I then use individual coils of wet, sticky clay to build up and shape my desired form. Most often after just 3 or 4 coils I can see what kind of piece it will become: a vase; a coffee mug; something else entirely? It's hard for me not let myself be influenced as I feel out each coil and where they should go next--sometimes letting emotion guide me in one direction over another momentously shapes the entire outcome!
Nothing beats the proud feeling of making something from nothing except for sharing it with you!