Elena Markelova Arts

My artist’s journey began when I was very little. I remember myself enjoying painting and having my artwork exhibited at kindergarten, but it was my mom who helped me to set this path as my only way in life, and I’m so grateful for that. She signed me up for art school when I was 10 years old. After 13 years of studying different mediums and techniques, I realized that I have unconditional love for watercolour. There is magic in the unique ability of the medium to produce exciting, interesting, and sometimes unexpected, random ways to blend and mix colour.
Moved to Canada just over 7 years ago, I was amazed by the beauty of nature and the wildlife that inhabits this land, air, and water. I will always remember the first breath of that autumn air – the smell of grass and leaves; even rain and wet rocks had their smell. For the girl who grew up in an industrial part of Siberia that was so unique. I’ve never seen a bear or any other animals in the wild; they usually would hide very deep in the woods. And even though I often explored the mountains and forests of my region, I’ve never had any encounters. That has changed on my very first trip to the mountains in BC when I saw a black bear cub. How excited and delighted I was you cannot imagine! Since then nature and the wild places have become my true love and inspiration. The beauty, peace, and truth found there have no equal.
The strength of my collection is the combination of landscapes and wildlife in a unique way. Nature paintings give a feeling of satisfaction, and wildlife art can affect the future of our planet. It may have only a small effect, but it is a contribution to the conservation of our natural world – without which we could not live. For every print purchased on my website, I donate $1 to One Tree Planted supporting global reforestation. Over the years I’ve been donating to different global and local wildlife associations and foundations, and it brings me joy to do small steps in making our world a better place.
Thanks to my mom I realized that if you want to create something really thoughtful you should make it with love, and I put my heart into every piece that I paint. It’s my hope that you not only love my artwork but my soul that lives within it.

Follow me on Instagram @ElenaMarkelova_art for daily updates and inspiration. Email me hello@ElenaMarkelova.com with any questions/commission requests.
I ship across Canada and the United States.