Olena Ellis

My work is rooted in the feminine spirit, an essence of intuitiveness, creativity, and nurturing. The ancient feminine force lies at its core, which supports a quiet but powerful awakening. I am turning inward, after a life of caring for others and slowing down, becoming intentional on the path of remembering myself. Through the process of reclaiming my power, I am reconnecting with my roots, and remembering who I am.

This journey is a deep dive into uncharted territory, holding moments of fear and uncertainty, but it also offers excitement, adventure, and discovery. Through this transformation, I am guided by the rhythms of nature and the wisdom of the earth.

My symbolic language often includes undulating lines, representing movement of life's unfolding exploration. Spirals recur in my work, symbolizing cycles of growth and the patterns we repeat until the lesson is learned. Like river eddies, we spin in place until we emerge changed, evolved, ready to continue our journey downstream. Life is never still, it is in constant motion and a spiral of transformation.

Splitting my time between the Boreal Forest of the Interior and Coastal Rainforest of Alaska, I work with clay, a material that connects me to the four elements: earth, water, fire, and air. This medium grounds me calling me to soften, to listen, to live more slowly and with intention. I gather wild plants from the land around me, processing them into natural earth pigments for surface decoration, an act of reverence and collaboration with place.

Through this process, I create not only objects, but offerings of traces of a personal mythology, a reclamation of feminine power, and a testament to the beauty of becoming.