Hello, I’m Eli!
I am a craft-based artist from Miami, FL residing and working in Brooklyn, NY. My work ranges from collages, jewelry, and sculptural pieces to leading workshops, curating spaces, and food experiences.
It’s difficult to speak of my practice without mentioning my time spent with my grandmother Tata. Through witnessing her keen eye as a seamstress, or how she prepared over 250 Venezuelan tamales to sell each Christmas time, I realized Tata is a slow-craft artist in many ways. Rummaging through my grandmother’s drawer, I became fond of creating collages from the stack of photos found. As I became more involved in my craft, I created works that incorporated embroidering, hand-sewing beads, and ruffled fabrics.
During the pandemic, I devoted my time to learning the tactile knowledge of polymer clay. What started as an exploration for creating large funky-shaped earrings, quickly turned into making miniature dinner tables. Using miniature furniture, fabric, and clay, these works displayed dishes I had growing up in my Colombian-Venezuelan household. As I tapped into the concept of food, I decided to host my first collage-making dinner party for 31 guests. With the help of my close friends, We served a series of five-course meals for each guest. The menu felt like an accurate depiction of what my tastebuds favored.
Memorabilia seems to be the core theme of my work. And I’m looking forward to finding the many ways to invite guests into that experience whether through taste, texture, and color.
Clients: Jägermeister, Bronx Brewery, and Graza
I am a craft-based artist from Miami, FL residing and working in Brooklyn, NY. My work ranges from collages, jewelry, and sculptural pieces to leading workshops, curating spaces, and food experiences.
It’s difficult to speak of my practice without mentioning my time spent with my grandmother Tata. Through witnessing her keen eye as a seamstress, or how she prepared over 250 Venezuelan tamales to sell each Christmas time, I realized Tata is a slow-craft artist in many ways. Rummaging through my grandmother’s drawer, I became fond of creating collages from the stack of photos found. As I became more involved in my craft, I created works that incorporated embroidering, hand-sewing beads, and ruffled fabrics.
During the pandemic, I devoted my time to learning the tactile knowledge of polymer clay. What started as an exploration for creating large funky-shaped earrings, quickly turned into making miniature dinner tables. Using miniature furniture, fabric, and clay, these works displayed dishes I had growing up in my Colombian-Venezuelan household. As I tapped into the concept of food, I decided to host my first collage-making dinner party for 31 guests. With the help of my close friends, We served a series of five-course meals for each guest. The menu felt like an accurate depiction of what my tastebuds favored.
Memorabilia seems to be the core theme of my work. And I’m looking forward to finding the many ways to invite guests into that experience whether through taste, texture, and color.
Clients: Jägermeister, Bronx Brewery, and Graza
