El Isla

Lives and works in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Artist statement

Hi, I’m Eli. As far back as I can remember, I always loved to draw (and paint). I don’t remember what it is that I enjoyed drawing the most, as a child. I only remember the feeling of being carried away by the process so much, I would almost get lost. However, despite the obvious interest in arts, my parents wished for a “better” future for me… And so, a great emphasis was made on educating me with subjects of exact sciences – math, physics, chemistry. I am a proud nerd indeed. After school, choosing the “safe path” I decided to follow my dad’s footsteps and became a banker. I got a job at the largest investment bank in the world (at that time) and worked there for few years. Then, after realizing I wanted to do something more meaningful with my life, I joined a small mining company that my dad owned. Few years later I headed the company and together with a narrow circle of colleagues we had developed an innovative technology for the extraction of tungsten. I would have probably continued working in that direction, but destiny intervened! Our project was cancelled abruptly! I won’t say how, it breaks my heart to remember. And now I am back to where it all started. I paint and get carried away. I mean, I never fully stopped. While working and studying, in my spear time I focused on developing my artistic sense and skill. It was always a favorite hobby, never something I considered for a profession. Gladly history has plenty of examples of self-taught artist, who where...

Artwork