"Wave Riding Chibi", an homage to Katsushika Hokusai's "The Great Wave off Kanagawa", combines charming characters with captivating colors and is one of Elena's signature works.
Elena rejuvenates the soft and translucent hues depicted by Hokusai with vivid and solid colors of acrylic gouache, expressing a harmonious blend of age-old traditional art and modern pop art, showcasing a novel and graceful aesthetic.

"Chibi-chan" is an original character born from doodles during Elena's middle school days.
It is a creature that suddenly came to life during the sensitive period characteristic of adolescence, serving as a comforting presence in her heart.
Chibi-chan, having been by Elena's side throughout her growth, is a representation of Elena herself and also symbolizes the guidance towards her radiant life. The brush strokes reminiscent of anime and manga in Japanese culture, along with the rich contour lines, suggest human patterns that are distinct yet intimately connected to each other.
The unique and gentle expressions of 'chibi-chan' merge with the graceful and captivating wave bubbles, peeking through structures reminiscent of plump, rounded figures and things evoking fish dorsal fins.
Together, they surge through the waves. Throughout history, the world has undergone significant transformation due to human coexistence, and by merging diverse thoughts, humanity has overcome challenges and achieved new developments. The artwork conveys this comprehensive societal structure, expressing the importance of self-affirmation and the value of living with a tolerant heart to the viewer.

Personal history

Elena
Born in Spain, raised in Kagoshima.
She has loved drawing since her childhood and has a strong interest in art. She is currently active as an artist in Tokyo.

In 2011, she entered Kagoshima Municipal Gyokuryu Integrated Junior and Senior High School and began drawing "Chibi-chan".

In 2017, she entered Gakushuin Women's College.
She was enrolled in the International Cultural Exchange department, studying various cultures and international situations. In her second year, she studied abroad in Canada, experiencing cultural exchange through a homestay. While at the college, she was a member of the competitive dance club and also actively worked as a model, with her expressive skills honed through dancing. She has experiences performing in shows not only domestically but also in cities like Shanghai, Vancouver, and Paris.
In her fourth year, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leading to concert cancellations and museum closures, reducing her exposure to entertainment. This made her re-realize the richness that art brings to people's hearts. She was then reminded of the joy of drawing and started producing art based on the concept of paintings that make the viewer's heart feel enriched and happy, as well as artworks that make one feel excited like a child. The first piece she drew at that time is her current signature work "Wave Riding Chibi". This piece later caught the interest of officials from the "Sumida Hokusai Museum" located in Sumida Ward, Tokyo, and a collaborative event in the museum has been decided to be held in January 2024.
She is active in wanting to spread the new energy created by the fusion of traditional Japanese ukiyo-e and modern pop art to the world. She also has a keen interest in Japanese culture, such as kimonos, and upon graduation, she joined the kimono industry. Although she was already active as an artist, she left the job after 10 months due to her strong desire to focus on art.

In February 2022, she became an independent artist.

Career as an artist

• Acceptance of various painting orders
• April 2021: Wall painting at "MOMENT KANDA South Exit Store"
• April 2022: Wall painting at Jujo Hospital in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture
• June 2022: Official poster design for Filippin Expo 2022
• December 2022: Non-profit volunteer organization "Make A Wish of Japan"
  Live paint auction event at the 30th-anniversary party of the Japan branch. The auctioned amount was donated in full.
• February 2023: Exhibition and drawing event at the Isetan Shinjuku store's Spring Tansei-kai of 2023
• September 2023: Solo exhibition at the gallery "AND COLLECTION" inside Omotesando Hills
• January 2024: Scheduled live painting event at the Sumida Hokusai Museum
• June 2024: Scheduled solo exhibition at the Isetan Shinjuku store art gallery