Biography
Elly Smallwood is a Toronto-based Canadian artist, celebrated for her deeply personal and unique paintings that delve into the complexities of her mind and the people around her. Known for pushing artistic boundaries and stepping out of her comfort zone, Smallwood's work often portrays a distorted, raw version of herself, particularly in relation to her body. While her style is primarily figurative, she is not confined to any one approach and creates intuitively, capturing whatever inspires her at the moment.
Her artwork predominantly focuses on the human body, especially the face, with themes such as sexuality, alienation, and intense emotions emerging throughout her pieces. Smallwood's art is fluid and ever-changing, often reflecting her fascination with the human condition and the world she inhabits. In some cases, her work explores topics like female sexuality, LGBTQ+ experiences, and fetishes—subjects that hold personal significance for the artist.
Born in 1989 in Ottawa, Canada, Elly Smallwood graduated with a degree in drawing and painting from the Ontario College of Art and Design in 2011. She does not work with pre-conceived concepts, instead trusting her intuition and the spontaneous flow of ideas that manifest into remarkable, emotionally charged pieces. Initially, her creative process began with photographs and sketches, which she later transferred onto canvas. Recently, she has embraced a more direct approach, painting directly onto the canvas to capture raw, unrefined energy.
Influenced by her surroundings and personal experiences, Smallwood's artwork features bold, expressive brushstrokes, multi-layered oil paints, and intense colors that explore the distortion of the face through movement and emotion. Her larger works hold a dominating presence, conveying an aggressive energy that draws the viewer in. While she enjoys creating large-scale pieces, she also creates smaller, more intimate works that reflect a deeply personal side of her artistic journey.
In addition to painting, Smallwood is passionate about tattooing, which she considers a unique form of drawing with little room for error. The artist she admires most is Lucian Freud, whose intimate connection with his subjects is clearly evident in his work. Looking ahead, Smallwood plans to explore abstract and experimental themes while continuing to focus on the face and human figure.
Elly Smallwood's work has been exhibited internationally, including at notable galleries such as Massey Lyuben Gallery in New York, Hermann & Audrey, and Project Gallery in Toronto. She is currently represented by Galerie Benjamin Eck.
Nationality