Elena Wendelyn

Elena Wendelyn is a ceramic artist and instructor at Eagledale community pottery on Bainbridge Island, WA since 2014. Elena teaches youth and adult classes (ages vary from 7 to 80 years old), beginners as well as advanced ceramic practitioners. She walks many paths in the forest of art, from electric firing, raku to wood firing in anagama kilns around Kitsap peninsula. She throws, hand builds, and sculpts. Her artistic preference is to explore imagery and concepts through the technique of sgraffito, scratching on soft clay, later to be fired to maturity in electric kiln.

Elena graduated from Ural State University (Yekaterinburg, Russia) with master degree in art history in 1997. Since 1990s she was one of the leading teachers of international student exchanges in her native city, creating culturally engaging programs for participating students and parents. After moving to the US Elena worked at a number of art galleries (including Davidson Galleries in Seattle, WA), eventually starting her own ceramic business. Elena has been part of the Poulsbo farmers market for eight years, now selling her work through local art galleries and local art festivals.

Elena contributes to the local charities and fundraisers on the regular basis (Bainbridge Museum of Art, Motley Zoo, animal shelter in Seattle, Kitsap Immigrant Assistance Center). One of her recent public art projects was creating a mosaic piece together with 100 students from Wilkes Elementary school on Bainbridge Island, WA.