'Even the smallest of felines, the cat, is a masterpiece of nature'
Leonardo Da Vinci
I’m Elena Ansaloni and I was born in Turin, where I live and work.
You could say that my artistic story began almost 30 years ago, at the scientific high school.
It was there that I discovered my passion for drawing, in particular for animal portraits, which were a great success with my classmates and friends.
As is often the case, I abandoned my dreams of artistic glory immediately after my high school diploma and enrolled at university: electronic engineering. Between integral functions, semiconductors and diode circuits, I forgot about pencil and paper for over 25 years.
Then, in 2019, I found old drawings from high school in a drawer and suddenly my passion was rekindled. I bought a new set of pencils and paper, took a picture of a friend’s cat and the magic of art did the rest.
Today, I am finally back to expressing the two souls, the rational and the emotional, that have always coexisted in me.
My philosophy
My favourite subjects are animals, especially dogs and cats, wonderful creatures and true companions in life, but I also draw human subjects. The important thing is that something living, with a soul, is portrayed on paper.
That is why I always start with the eyes, the mirror of the soul: from there I can see the white paper come to life, emerge from its two-dimensionality and become a creature.
The deepest emotions can only be expressed with the gaze; knowing how to capture the expression is the only way I can begin to draw, because in the eyes there is the power of everything that is transformed into action with the hand that outlines the rest of the face and body.
Pencil drawing
For my works I use graphite pencil, charcoal, sanguine and coloured pencils. This type of technique allows me to work on chiaroscuro and shading. I create the effect of depth by intensifying the line in the points that interest me; to make this technique effective, it is necessary to study shadows and light in depth, and how the light reflects on the surface of the textures.
I mainly use 300 gram paper and 100% cotton: the weight and material allow me a greater layering of the stroke, which is more intense; the texture is also more rough and suitable for making portraits on paper.
Commissioned work
I like to make portraits of people and animals that I meet and like, but I also work on commission, drawing for friends and clients.
Watch my Video Interview on SOS GAIA TV
I am a member of
The Society Of Feline Artists (S.O.F.A.)
Camelback Gallery Featured Artist
