Olena Ellis

Olena’s sculptures refer to the internal landscape of individuals and connect the viewer to the emotional rich history we all possess. Her motherhood journey started at a young age and included ecstatic joy to devastating losses. The pilgrimage of healing and self-discovery unearthed a deep well of experiences drawing inspiration from her own and other women’s journeys in life. Empathetic, she embraces her perceived heartfelt intentions from bronze age relics, jomon vessels, and other antiquities worldwide, finding comfort and truth. Olena sees herself as part of a circle of women throughout time and believes that growth shared within this sisterhood encourages the circle to expand all into their greatness. Working intuitively and spontaneously, she explores the physical, spiritual, and inner network of emotional bonds found within relationships within ourselves and our communities. She reimagines a future growing and unfolding that redefines a new vital role for women in society.

EDUCATION
2014-2018 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bachelor of Fine Arts, May 2018, Magna cum Laude

MENTORSHIP
2022-2023 Clay Cohorts year-long program working with Lisa Orr

RESIDENCY
2017 Residency at Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, Ojai, CA

SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2021 OMGoddess! Fairbanks Arts Association, Bear Gallery, Fairbanks, AK
2018 Do You Count? University Art Gallery, Fairbanks, AK

SELECTED EXHIBITIONS
2023 Clay Cohorts at Good Earth Pottery, Bellingham, WA

2022 36th Annual 64th Parallel Exhibition, Juror Allison Baker

2021 F.A.M. Invitational at Bear Gallery, Fairbanks, AK
Gallery Artist of the Month, Fairbanks Arts Association

2019 Invitational BFA Alumni Exhibition at UAF Fine Art Gallery

2018 November Artist of the Month, Fairbanks Arts Association
64th Parallel, Fairbanks Arts, Juror Elizabeth Emery (2nd Place-Sideways Glance)
Limited Edition Show, Fairbanks Arts Association
Witching Hour, Invitational Frozen Lens Photography Show (Ceramics)
Whimsy, Fairbanks Arts Association Spring Juried (Rachelle Dowdy) Exhibition

2017 The Journey is the Destination, Keller Architecture & Allied Arts
Legacy & Continuum Gallery Show, Beato Gallery, Ojai, CA
Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts Online Ceramic Exhibition
UAF Spring Juried Art Exhibition “Aqua Forest” (Honorable Mention)
Circumpolar – Alaska State Juried Show by Jeff Schultz at Ursa Major
SCAG Ceramic Art Show at UAF Fine Art Gallery
Exposed: A Group Exhibition at UAF Fine Art Gallery

2016 Juried UAF Student Art Show – “Vio-lace” (Best of Ceramics)
First Friday Show at Sipping Streams, Fairbanks, AK

2015 First Friday Show at Keller Architecture & Allied Arts
Thawed Out Juried Art Show, Fairbanks, AK
First Friday Show of Photography at Arctic Java, UAF, Fairbanks, AK
Sustainability Art Show (Sea Turtle – Honorable Mention)

2014 Student Art Show – “Blue Ted” (Honorable Mention)
BFA Art Show at UAF
First Friday Show at Keller Architecture & Allied Arts

PERMANENT COLLECTIONS
Fairbanks Mayor’s Office, Fairbanks, AK, Coral Borealis

PUBLICATIONS
2021 Finding the feminine mystique in the works of Olena Ellis, by David James
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner – Creating Alaska, February 2021,
2018 Ceramics Monthly, May 2018
2017 ASF Photography Contest for holiday cards, Iditarod Dog Team
2016 ASF Photography Contest for holiday cards, Reindeer
2012 Mosaic Art Today, Schiffer Publishing LTD, 2012, pages 96 -101

RELATED EXPERIENCE
2016 Instructor Visual Arts Academy, Ceramics, University of Alaska, Fairbanks
2015-2016 Instructor Summer Sessions Kids Camp, Ceramics, University of Alaska

HONORS & AWARDS
2018 University of Alaska Fairbanks, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Magna cum Laude
URSA Spring Project Award (Undergraduate Research & Scholarly Activity)
Second Place – Sideways Glance, 64th Parallel, Fairbanks Arts, Juror Elizabeth Emery
University of Alaska Completion Grant Recipient
2017 Krist Anderson Memorial Scholarship Recipient for Ceramic Arts
Heather Dowdy Memorial Scholarship Recipient for Ceramic Arts
Honorable Mention – Aqua Forest – UAF Spring Juried Art Exhibition
University of Alaska Completion Grant Recipient
ASUAF Senate Travel Scholarship for NCECA Recipient for Ceramic Arts
2016 Best of Ceramics Vio-Lace, Annual Juried Student Exhibition, UAF Gallery
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
Golden Key International Honor Society
Tom Rohr Memorial Scholarship Recipient for Ceramic Arts
ASUAF Senate Travel Scholarship for NCECA Recipient for Ceramic Arts
2015 Liz Berry Memorial Scholarship Recipient for Ceramic Arts
Carolyn Sampson, UAF Staff Council Memorial Award
Honorable Mention – Sea Turtle, Sustainability Art Show
2014 Mary Jones Scholarship Doyon Foundation Scholarship