Artist Biography
Elura Morris - 27 yrs old - San Diego - Creator - Goes on Adventures
My name is Elura, and I’m an artist residing in San Diego. While my portfolios and presentation often focus on painting and drawing, I have found joy in many art forms such as writing, music, photography, and magic in the common household.
My art is inspired by many sources. I have always loved history and when I was younger I romanticized classical art and literature from the Victorian era and other periods. I’m fond of journals that incorporated studies, illustrations, and good handwriting.
My mother always loved theater and drama. Her idea was that I could be on stage one day, but alas stage fright and anxiety stopped me beyond a middle school talent show. Nonetheless, theater, films, and pop culture have heavily influenced me. I enjoy cinematography and the ability to visually tell a story. Everything from Broadway, operas, anime, and Lord of the Rings has influenced me. Which makes sense why I fit in so well making stages for theater as well!
Nature, however, has always been the prize in my eyes. When I was studying as an artist, it was biology that captivated me. The study of the human body and patterns found in microbiology were a heavy focus in high school and college. It wasn’t until I was 24, that I went on my first own journey into Yosemite, and let nature test my body and mind, that I was hooked. From there I’ve been an avid hiker, showing the world my love for landscapes and the california ecosystem through photography. I use a lot of these same photos as my subjects in paintings.
I guess it’s always about connecting our existence as people with nature. My of my works explore human emotion or elements being incorporated in a surrealistic way with some element of nature, may it be plant, stone, or mountain.
My favorite tools of the trade is oil paint, but I’ve long used acrylic, watercolor, charcoal, sharpie, and hand-dipped ink. My first teachers where two aunts, both professional artist on different sides of the family. One summer when I was 12 I spent considerable time on separate occasions, and we discovered my talent, and they told me a few practices to do each day to hone my skill. And I did, every day, even when it so frustrating that images in my head where prettier than the paper or canvas. I kept studying in high school, and took on graphic design as well. I continued to study in college and considered it my major.
Since College, I’ve had to focus on living and everyday obstacles. I didn’t really graduate from college, but I did from Starbucks into Print Shop where I applied graphics to real objects. Eventually, I graduated from there to the tourism industry and stage painting. It seems my talent comes full circle into giving me the opportunities to learn unconventionally and practically.
I have two main goals for my art. One is to share the message, and two is to make a living. Graphic design, marketing, and theater definitely give me an avenue for creating and paying bills. The message… well, that’s different per series. Check out my gallery, the sketchbook diaries, or my blog to see me about what that really is. I mean, I could just write a simple artist statement, but can the beauty of life really be summed up like that? Didn’t think so, just read my damn blog.