Artist Profile:

Elan

Elan lives by the philosophy of ‘This Is It’.  Each brushstroke, each splash of paint, every dribble of ink, celebrates his philosophy... ‘This Is It’. When he isn’t in his studio, Elan travels the world conducting ‘Breakthrough Thinking Programmes’ for global organisations. These programmes are designed to free up peoples’ thinking & how they interpret their place in the world. His art is an expression of the profound inquiry into what it means to be human.  Although educated in the fields of psychology and education, Elan is more of a spiritual philosopher, and his work is reflective of that.

“I want people to be in front of my paintings and be present to the gift of NOW. I want them to feel something within themselves, a recognition of sorts. A recognition of who they are and the timeless connection that we all share.”

Elan’s paintings are strongly monochromatic, with the occasional splashes of red. A conscious restriction of colour that resonates with his philosophy of simplicity and contrast. The bold contrast of black and white is obvious & he feels the same way about the relationship between red & black.

Elan’s work is reminiscent of Contemporary Japanese art, his ink washes (sumi-e), reflect the simplicity and importance of empty space central to both art and spirituality. Looking deeper into his work you are faced with the representation of history. At the core of his paintings is a certain sense of wisdom, a meditative state of self-discovery. It’s a sense of Zen, one Elan would describe as an “Aha Moment, which can often enlighten our journey.”

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Elan came to New Zealand in 1992 and became a New Zealand citizen in 1997. While living in Silicon Valley, CA, Elan had solo shows at The MindCenter in Palo Alto and at the St. Supery Estate Vineyard in Napa, CA. He has also had a solo show at Artbay Gallery in Queenstown, NZ in 2011.