Artist Bio
I am a Surrealist artist who specializes in bizarre, dreamlike portraits intertwining unnatural circumstances, nature, animals, and beautiful people all in one image. The name ‘Elysium’s Star’ is inspired by the utopian society ‘Elysium’ and my hope to make students and viewers of my work shine bright. Through my small business, I sell my original art and tutor portraiture to 13+.
Surrealism is how I view the world and a genre where I feel like I fit in perfectly. I have a passion for studying world cultures, and the makeup of ethnic backgrounds, and I like to depict that interest through the models I choose for my paintings. Spirituality is also the core of my inspiration, as I believe that all my ideas for pieces come from God and I would not be creating pieces if it wasn’t for spirituality. Overall, anything in my life can inspire me, but some things such as diverse cultures and surrealism have been a constant inspiration throughout my career.
My style is representative, spiritual, and has a unique aesthetic. I don't see much representation of POC or LGBTQ+ people in Surrealism, and I tend to paint who I don't see work of. I wouldn't say this is entirely purposeful because I genuinely think diversely due to my interest. Through my portraits, I hope people of all cultures feel beautiful because that’s how I see them. How I think the Divine sees them too. A lot of viewers claim that they feel a sense of peace that is different from other pieces they encounter, and that has to do with spirituality in my opinion.
I start off my pieces with a vision, no matter how strange, I'll jot it down in my sketchbook and paint it bigger when I have the motivation to do so. I need to feel a large passion and amount of energy in order to successfully create a piece. I've tried painting sketchbook ideas that I wasn't super interested in at the time, and it always goes terribly wrong. I also make sure that I use a technique, but that it doesn't overpower my ideas. The mediums I use for my pieces are acrylic paint and watercolor (watered down acrylic), because I am an impatient person and enjoy how quickly pieces dry. I also enjoy the vibrancy of acrylic paint.
Why I Started Teaching
Since I was sixteen, I have been wanting to teach, specifically becoming a vendor through Charter schools to do so. With that in mind, I chose to earn an A.A. in Fine Arts at Sacramento City College, learning basic design fundamentals I could teach myself and my students.
With previous experiences within my own education and self-discovery, alongside being featured in art shows, I want to share that knowledge of creating with those who are not as experienced, as I would've loved the support and guidance creatively as a teenager. No matter whom I’m teaching, I thrive on seeing my students grow and develop as they discover what they can achieve.
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Why I Teach 13+
Let's be honest, there are hardly any enjoyable art classes for highschool and up unless you attend a college level class. So many charter schools and after-school programs online are centered towards k-3rd grade, with nothing for teens to do.
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Also, I am passionate about teaching teens-adults because this is the age where artistry and creative thinking is less encouraged and even disregarded as useless in 'real life'. I want to help teens get out of the negative mindset towards art, and see the value of their imagination and creating visual masterpieces of their own.
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Lastly, I feel much more comfortable educating older clients versus children. I have a hard time lecturing and instructing anyone under 12 (I feel really bad when I have to) and honestly, my content if very much centered towards more mature thinkers.
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