********** .... **********

Elana Bainbridge was born in Swansea (c.1982). In 2001 she did a Foundation Course in Fine art at UWIC in Cardiff , followed by a degree course in Fine Art from which she graduated with a first class honours degree in Fine Art (Painting) in 2005. She was awarded the Harry Holland Prize for creative and original achievement in the field of figurative painting at the UWIC degree show.
In 2006 she exhibited twice i.e. in the Summer Show at the Albany Gallery, Cardiff and in the 'New Professionals Exhibition', Emerging Welsh Artists, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

She says of her work: "I have been developing the theme of the female as object over the past couple of years, using myself as the model and painting with acrylics on board using visible, layered brush strokes.

My recent works portray intimate, usually unseen moments scattered with innuendo and humour. The viewer's relationship to the subject is vital in my work - sometimes invited into the painting and other times submissive voyeur, as if stumbling upon the scene by accident " (quoted from the exhibition celfcrai/newprofesionals at Cardiff's Millenium Centre in March 2006).

Comments by others:
"Elana Bainbridge's acrylic work [in the above exhibition] is also memorable for its voyeuristic portrayal of the female form. While this is always an interesting subject for many, the real eyebrow-raising part is that Bainbridge is herself the model, making the self-portrait unusually sensual as the series of images show her lounging on her bed and sitting around in underwear" (by Carrie Briffett in The Big Issue No.502, March 2006, pp.24-25).

For more works click here