I am an artist and educator working in surreal, vintage-inspired artworks that lives at the intersection of nostalgia, eeriness, and quiet beauty. Using acrylic mediums, ink, and small touches of colored pencil, I mostly work in black and white, allowing a single element, or a small cluster, to emerge in color. This restrained use of color guides the viewer’s eye, creates narrative focus, and opens an expansive sense of space, as if the world within the piece extends far beyond its frame.

My process begins with inspiration from vintage photography and the illustrated books of my childhood. I sketch in pencil, then allow music to move me as I bring the work to life. A lifelong love for grim fairy tales shaped this direction, stories that held darkness and wonder side by side. Once I embraced that style, it became an invaluable part of my practice.

Through my art, I explore what it means to be human. I look at pain, grief, loneliness, relief, and joy with the same care, breaking away from the idea that only certain emotions are acceptable. I combine the wonder we feel as children with the struggles we carry as adults.

I work in surrealism because it helps me express deeper meaning beyond reality. My goal is to invite viewers to reflect on their own experiences and see beauty in themselves and in life as a whole. I believe life is worth living fully, and that magic has been hiding in the ordinary all along.

Keep on Creating,

Ellie Desire