Introduction
Elly Smallwood is a Canadian artist known for her large-scale, expressive paintings that focus on raw human emotions, intimacy, and vulnerability. With a background in both traditional and contemporary art techniques, she has carved a niche for herself in the art world through her striking depictions of the human form, often exploring themes of sexuality, identity, and self-expression.
Early Life and Education
Elly Smallwood was born on November 19, 1989, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Growing up in the nation’s capital, she was exposed to art at a young age, recalling her early fascination with the work of hyperrealist sculptor Ron Mueck during a visit to the National Gallery of Canada. This pivotal experience ignited her desire to create art that provokes strong emotional reactions.
Smallwood pursued formal education in art and graduated from OCAD University (Ontario College of Art and Design) in 2011. Her studies at OCAD helped refine her technical skills, allowing her to experiment with a range of materials including oil, colored pencils, and pastels.
Artistic Career
After graduating, Smallwood moved to Toronto, where she began to develop her distinct style, characterized by a bold use of color, aggressive brushstrokes, and larger-than-life canvases. Much of her work centers on the human body, exploring its complexities, imperfections, and beauty. She often paints figures that appear faceless or with blurred features, shifting the focus from individual identity to the broader emotional experiences conveyed by the body itself.
Smallwood is particularly known for her depictions of female and LGBTQ+ sexuality, which challenge traditional representations in art history. She believes in portraying these moments and identities, often overlooked or misrepresented, with honesty and authenticity.
Artistic Themes and Influences
Elly Smallwood’s art is deeply personal and introspective, often described as a visual diary of her thoughts, emotions, and experiences. Her fascination with the vulnerability of the human body is a recurring theme in her work. Flowers, particularly associated with femininity and sexuality, frequently appear as motifs in her paintings, blending nature with the human form.
Her choice of large canvases is both aesthetic and philosophical; she enjoys the confrontational nature of oversized portraits, believing that the human body, when depicted on such a grand scale, commands attention and invites deeper exploration of the subject matter.
Social Media Influence
In addition to her success in galleries, Smallwood has built a substantial following on Instagram, where she shares her creative process and finished pieces with over 370,000 followers. She also runs a Patreon page, offering fans access to tutorials, time-lapse videos, and critiques of their own artwork. Smallwood’s use of social media has allowed her to bridge the gap between the traditional art world and a broader online audience, although she acknowledges that the art that becomes popular on Instagram is not always the same as what galleries appreciate.
Personal Life and Inspirations
While much of her public persona is centered around her art, Smallwood keeps her personal life relatively private. She has spoken about the importance of failure and experimentation in her creative process, emphasizing that mistakes are essential to growth as an artist. Her work is deeply influenced by her understanding of human anatomy, and she frequently studies the body to capture its nuances in her paintings.
Conclusion
Elly Smallwood’s art is a bold exploration of human emotions, sexuality, and identity. Through her large, expressive works, she invites viewers to confront the vulnerability of the human form in new and often challenging ways. With a growing presence both in galleries and online, she continues to push the boundaries of contemporary portraiture and self-expression.
