
About Elena Caravela
Artist's Statement
My fascination with the human face and the contortion of subtle, fleeting and intimidate human gestures culminate in my oil paintings, which portray such moments. These are instances in which we can all relate. My varied series of works offer heartfelt and subtle insights into both cultural and political ideas. Women of all ages appear in my work as strong, sometimes vulnerable and always interesting individuals. The outward standard of my model’s beauty is of little interest to me. Instead every individual is truly unique and therefore beautiful and complex.
Artistic Journey
CV:
Recent Juried Exhibitions/Awards:/Publications
"Mini Me" 33 Contemporary 2025 included in Lunar Codex Time Capsule
American Art Collector December 2024 ""Cowboys in the Cosmos"
NOAPS 2024 Spring On-Line International Exhibition
Two works selected as Semi Finalists in ARC 17th International Salon 2024
Three works selected for Almenara Art Prize Competition, 2024
mages of work sent to the moon via Poets/Artists Magazine and the Lunar Codex
American Art Collector 2024 March, "Feminism"
33PA Fall Collector Preview 2023
American Art Collector 2023 Upcoming and Solo Group Shows "Wonder Woman" Image and Interview
PoetsArtists Magazine Summer 2023
Mujer 33 Contemporary Gallery 2023-Lunar Codex Time Capsule
NOAPS Juried Associate online exhibition 2022
NOAPS International online juried exhibition 2021
Allied Artists of America 108th juried annual exhibition, Salmagundi Club, NY, NY, 2021
NOAPS Associate Member online juried exhibition, 2021
Glamberton Magazine, Vol. 1, London, England, Interview and four page spread, 2021
NOAPS online Spring exhibition 2021
Ridgewood Art Institute juried online exhibition, 2021
The Cooper Beach Foundation Award, 40th Regional Open Juried Show 2020 at Ridgewood ARt Institute
Portrait Society of America Members Competition 2019 Finalist Commissioned Portrait
Allied Artists of America, Inc. 106th Annual Exhibition 2019, Salmagundi Club, New York, New, New York
Bill Fornaci Memorial Award for Oil Painting 39th Annual Regional Open Juried Show at the Ridgewood Art Institute 2019
Finalist Portrait Society of American Members Only Competition "Outside the Box" Catagory
"Contain Her" Trestle Gallery, Brooklyn, NY 2018
National Oil and Acrylic Painter's Society Online International Spring 2018 exhibit
Finalist, The Artist's Magazine 34th Annual Art Competition
National Oil and Acrylic Painter's Society 2017 Online International Spring Exhibition
Portrait Society of America Members Competition 2016 Awarded Sixth Place in Non-Commissioned Portrait
NAWA "A Sight For Sore Eyes" Online Exhibition 2016
Finalist "Art Kudos ' Online International 2016
"Summer Small Works" National Association of Women Artists, The NAWA Gallery NY, NY 2016
"Obstruction" Watchung Arts Center, Watchung, NJ 2016
"Old Enough to Know Better" Women's Caucus for Art, Philadelphia Chapter, Crane Arts- Gallery 105, Philadelphia, PA 2015
"Women Painting Women" Principal Gallery, Charleston, South Carolina 2014
Solo Exhibition "Girls In Sight" Visual Arts Center of New Jersey, Summit, NJ 2014
Elena attended The School of Visual Arts, where she earned her BFA. She has worked as an illustrator, instructor and fine artist.
In addition, she has received numerous awards, corporate and private portrait commissions and has exhibited work in a variety of genre and media. Most meaningful to her is her illustration work featured in 3x3 Magazine for Contemporary Illustration and a collaborative illustration with a young artist published in BIG Kids Magazine. She is proud to work with PoetsArtists and has been has work represented on Artsy for 33 Contemporary Gallery. Elena has illustrated two award winning children's picture books, "The Birds of the Harbor", and "A Night of Tamales and Roses." She is the author and illustrator of a non-fiction picture book about young female artists titled "Portrait of a Girl and Her Art".
Interview with PA33
What’s the purpose or goal of your work?
I make art in an earnest communication of my innermost thoughts, notions, ideas and beliefs. It’s an actual need to create and express.
How can your work affect societal issues?
Art is able to instantly and/or subliminally plant a seed of recognition. Therefore art is able to communicate beyond words. Often societal issues that become lost in jargon can be presented at a glance. We can have subtle responses to artwork that open us up to emotional vulnerability. This preverbal recognition of feeling is important to me.
What are your favorite and least favorite parts of professional art?
My favorite parts of working professionally are related to the actual artistic process: deciding on an idea, working out a composition, and creating the piece. The reception of my work is of secondary concern to me. My least favorite part of working professionally is promoting the work, which limits the time I would use for creating.
Do you have a network of artists?
Yes. I love the feedback I receive from artists around the world. I’m fortunate enough to have started valuable friendships with artists I have met on social media. I am also inspired by my teaching work. I have found that students from different generations provide input from their perspectives that inspires me to experiment. I treasure their comments and insights, and my friendships with students through the years is a true source of joy.
How do you manage a work-life balance as an artist?
I’m constantly thinking about my art life. Whether I’m able to work at the moment or not depends on what is needed at any given time. Whenever I don’t have a pressing demand on my time, I’m in my studio working.
Describe your ideal working environment.
I have always worked at home. In the early days, I would work at the kitchen table, then I coopted a small bedroom in my house as a studio. That room was an artistic haven where students and friends were all welcome to come and make art. In the last few years I was lucky enough to move to a house with a large dedicated art studio that opens to nature. This has been a beautiful venue for painting, teaching, and friendship that fulfills the dream I had for all those years working out of a tiny bedroom.