JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – When you see Elena Øhlander’s work, you immediately know that you are looking at something unique and special. Like a slowly crafted sculpture, Øhlander’s work is detailed and symbolic -- thoughtful.
For nine years, Øhlander has been a professional artist, but art has been a lifelong love.
“I think the first time (I fell in love with art) was when I was a little girl and my mother had a big record player and she would play her records, and I didn’t know there was radio until I was almost 10,” Øhlander said.
And since 10 years old, Øhlander has been creating beautiful art.
Her work is currently on display at Jacksonville’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) and soon will be on exhibit in Germany.
Øhlander’s mother is Norwegian, and her father is Chinese, Filipino and Vietnamese, but Øhlander sees herself as a world citizen, connecting the world through her art.
Before becoming a well-known artist, Øhlander first pursued photography at the Art Institute of Jacksonville, but painting won out.
“After it was all said and done, I decided I am more of a painter kind of artist and I went back to it,” Øhlander said.
At around 29 years old, she wanted to find a focus and be a role model for her daughter, so she zeroed in on painting and, little by little, grew as an artist.
She describes herself as a visual artist using various media: From watercolors and collages to paintings and sculptures.
She has also used her gift to fight hate.
“During the pandemic, there was a lot of anti-Asian sentiment, rhetoric and policies that fueled some of that behavior, and I saw a lot of hate crimes,” Øhlander said. “I think it is important to reflect on the times as an artist.”
One of her pieces went viral, and the local and national community supported her.
Øhlander’s work is on display around the city and through Pilot Pen USA 2019 and Morikani 2021.
Øhlander said she hopes her legacy in art is one of fearlessness.
“To be bold, to take risks in things that make you uncomfortable, because it is the place you make the most growth,” she said.
Øhlander will be teaching a Japanese pottery repair class in July at MOCA. For more information, visit MOCA’s website.
