Art can invoke feelings of emotion, depending on what the artist wants to convey. It can be a visually complicated masterpiece to decipher all of its complexities. Art has a way of being interpreted in different ways, depending on how the observer connects with the piece. Then there’s art you can immediately understand and connect with. Which leads me to Ella Mazur, a local Toronto artist. She’s an artist and illustrator, that works in digital, watercolours, murals, and logo design.
First met Ella at a vendor event last June, our spots were placed next to each other. We spoke briefly throughout the day, but nothing too significant. The next meeting would be at a Christmas vendor event in November. We ended up with spots next to each other again. This time we spoke a lot more. We talked about the challenges of small business issues, social media, websites, life etc. This particular show Ella had a lot more pieces of art with her. The art she creates with a pen is magical, it can transport you into a mystical monochrome world. The work is impeccably detailed to perfection and intricately complicated. It is mesmerizing, captivating, and whimsical.
A great portion of her art is monochrome for a reason. When Ella first started, she used only a black ballpoint pen. This became a great fascination that a simple pen (Black Ink) could create worlds of imagination. It also allowed her to create anywhere and everywhere, even on the subway. Before this became her entrepreneurial passion, Ella had a full-time office job but knew this wasn’t for her. Working a 9-5 job and fighting up a corporate ladder was not what she wanted any longer.
Leaving a job takes a lot of courage, especially when it comes to a guaranteed salary. She has certainly not looked back on her decision and rightfully so.
I now have the pleasure of Ella creating a design for the Fall/Winter 2020 season for Revolteur Clothing, hopefully with another project in the works. Creating TDOT VOCAB was simple, I wanted to write about interesting local people I know and yet to meet.
Here’s the part where heavy-hitting questions were asked. Yeees reached another 1000 words.
1. Who is Ella Mazur?
If I had to choose one word to describe who I am, it would be artist. I love every form of it: writing, music, dance, theatre, and visual art.
2. Coke or Pepsi?
Coke. Pepsi always tasted a bit soapy to me!
3. Mac of PC?
I’ve used both and am comfortable with both, but I prefer Mac because their computers and phones just last way longer for me.
4. 5 adjectives to describe your strength?
Passionate, driven, focused, hardworking, positive – I think all of these are important if you want to run your own business!
5. 5 adjectives to describe your weakness?
Weak (physically! After a number of injuries, I have to rest way more than I want to, when I could be drawing), sometimes shy, sometimes scared, un-salesy (there should be a real word for this!), a perfectionist. Thankfully these are all things I can work on improving!
6. Last thing you binge-watched?
TV miniseries of “My Brilliant Friend”. Loved the books, love the show even more!
7. Do you have a bucket list, what’s on it?
I actually don’t! I spend a lot of time visualizing what I want my life to look like as I set goals for myself, and the things that show up over and over again are simple things – good friends and family to spend time with, a beautiful space to work in (with plenty of plants!), good food to enjoy with others, and the time to create my art. Even travelling, I enjoy it so much more when I’m with people I love. The place doesn’t matter as much.
8. Who inspires you and why?
Anyone who has gone after their dreams, despite failures and the opinions of others. My favourite illustrators at the moment are Yuko Shimizu and Victo Ngai. I love the flowing line work, perspectives, and colour use in their works.
9. How do you deal with stress?
Honestly, since I left my office job and started working for myself free-time, I don’t deal with much stress. Part of it is not having to deal with office politics and the corporate ladder, part of it is having the time and flexibility to take care of myself, to eat well, exercise, and meditate (almost) every day.
10. How did you teach yourself to draw and did you go to school as well?
I went to school for theatre and switched to history, and then publishing. I started my first career as an editor at the same time that I started drawing. I started doodling with a ballpoint pen and was never able to put it down.
11. Where does your inspiration come from?
Everywhere! My art really is an expression of my true self – the stories I’ve read, the places I’ve seen, the dreams I’ve had. Nature and its endless beauty shows up a lot – forests, sea, and starry sky.
12. Do you have a favourite medium to work with?
Definitely pen and ink. If I have to choose a type of ink, ballpoint pen. It’s what I started drawing with.
13. As an artist/entrepreneur how has Covid-19 affected you and your business?
I’ve certainly lost a lot of the projects I had lined up, as many of my clients are small businesses and are being hit the hardest, and it makes it harder to find illustration work. But I’ve still got a few projects on the go to keep me busy, and I’m amping up my online sales and digital commissions. I’ve finally started doing digital portraits and pet portraits! It’s something I’ve been wanting to do for a long time, and I finally had the time to get started.
14. What have you learnt during this time?
It’s soooo important to set up multiple streams of revenue. Being able to focus on online sales while client work is slower has saved me!
15. If you could choose a second profession what would it be?
I always wanted to be a writer when I was younger. Taking up visual art in my mid-twenties came as a bit of a surprise, but I went with it. I probably would still have ambitions to write if I hadn’t turned to drawing, but I think somewhere down the line, I might end up combining the two – stay tuned for my graphic novel!
16. Tell me a happy story in only 3 words?
pursuing your dreams.
