Elo, I'm Eli

My Story

Through my teenage years I always had a side hustle whilst studying to fund my pursuits. At a young age I developed a strong work ethic, seeking to prove my determination.

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During my art major in high school, I developed the skills of working on projects with long processes and cherishing the quality of development itself. I felt, though, that my art was lacking a message, so I decided to first gather stories worth telling.

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I went to India to volunteer in the slums of Delhi and teach English. My interest in social dynamics led me down the academic route pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social sciences with a focus on politics and sociology. After two years of studying, I participated in a two-week seminar by UNESCO, where we discussed issues of migration in Europe. I loved the international scene, though I felt disappointed when I understood a certain reality of the academic world and its quantitative studies, it examines reality from afar and thus creates a parallel reality of theories.

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I felt isolated from the pulse of the mystery of humans and their interactions. I left the academic world behind to be closer to this pulse. From Mexico to Guatemala, I began discovering what I want to offer to this pulse of life. I developed my artistic abilities and techniques for tattooing.

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I volunteered at Eagles Nest in Guatemala, where I reopened the café with the team of local ladies. We cooked for events and daily guests. With deep respect for the stories of the Mayan women I was inspired to draw again, to capture the reality I was facing in Guatemala and their treasured wisdom.

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Through my relationship with the local culture, I got another position to work as a Women’s Collective Coordinator and Design Consultant at the social enterprise Cacao Source in Guatemala. As a part of their team, I was able to sink in and foster my own sense of leadership, design work, social justice and project development.

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Meanwhile, I continued working as a tattoo artist, creating logo designs and doing occasional catering gigs for retreats and events whilst studying nutrition. 

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After some years of growth and learning, I realized that my energy management wasn’t sustainable and decided to go back to Switzerland. With my return home I was able to look through all the threads I had been spinning and discern where I needed to focus. During this refinement process I started working as a teacher’s assistant at a primary school and supported my mother with nutrition consultations. The time ripened to begin weaving the threads together.

Art has been my companion and feeding my fire of passion for life, and my work in the social field was giving me a sense of purpose in service. So, I decided to study art therapy to bring these different threads together. In 2028 I will be certified to do therapy through the Swiss Health Insurance. Still, I love to work on creative endeavors such as ink in skin, illustrations, design work and healing arts for happy tummies. 

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Currently I’m employed as a social worker in a therapy station for teenagers whilst being a freelance artist. This site is a culmination of my various threads, being weaved together, in hopes of connecting my tapestry with like-minded individuals, artists, creators.