As a child, Elena started to do a lot of “paint-by- numbers” pictures. Often, there would be leftover paint, and she began to enjoy using that to create her own pictures.
After high school, she joined a class that taught the basics of mixing oil paint. However, she needed a job, and worked at the mill in Locke Mills for 34 years. During this time, Elena did a lot of different crafts and Craft Sales.
When the mill closed, she kept house for her mother and father. She was able to join a class, learning to paint on fabric, and met Deb Lewis, who encouraged her, and helped her to try water colors. This difficult art expression fascinated her and she worked hard to perfect her skill. She enjoyed the wider range of colors than she had had with the oils, and the fact that they dried faster and had fewer odors.
Please enjoy this display of many of Elena’s wonderful drawings of wildlife and natural scenes. Most are in watercolor, with a few oils. All reveal her natural talent.
Sponsored by the Friends of the West Paris Library, February, 2019