“Art is how I translate my emotions when I observe the world around me,” explains American artist Elana Westphal. “From injustice suffered by women and children, to a simple expression of my love for trees.” Her work spans various mediums, including sculpture and photography, with a special emphasis on assemblages. “I grew up on a ranch, where repurposing was an everyday, necessary occurrence. From cast-off, broken parts, we’d make something new.” Her father’s workshop was the first place Elana made art.
In her assemblages, she raises the idea of repurposing to the level of symbol, metaphor and meaning. Each piece responds to an important issue of our time, from gun violence and women’s rights to child labor and the extinction of tree species. “My goal is to enlighten, to surprise and, most importantly, to start a meaningful conversation.”
Her work has appeared in shows across the country. Elana lives in Sandpoint, Idaho and the coast of California where she walks the woods and beaches, discovering the occasional bone, abandoned bird’s nest or rusty metal that might find a new purpose and meaning in a future assemblage.
An award winning Creative Director and Art Director, Elana created her own product lines and appeared on QVC and the Today Show with her unique, patented inventions. Founder of a design firm, she now focuses her attention on creating personal art in her long-loved mediums of assemblage, sculpture and photography.