Name: Elena Smyrniotis

Hometown: Caledon, Canada

Living: Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Qualifications: Bachelor of Fine Arts (University of Ottawa) and Bachelor of Education (University of Ottawa)

Experience: 18 years in visual arts and 13 years in education

Endorsed by: Lauren Noble

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Proudest moment in your career?

Any and every time a work of art that I have made resonates with the audience. 

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Quote to live by in your industry?

“Art is the highest form of hope.” ~ Gerhard Richter 

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Five things we need to know about you?

1. I love to experiment. I get very excited about all the different forms of Visual Art that I get to teach my students so I tend to experiment heavily.

2. I have had my artwork published in 4 books, none of which I own as they have been lost through countless moves. 

3. I am hugely geeky and it shows up a lot in my artwork. 

4. I have discovered a renewed passion and goal for my artwork now that I have become a mother. 

5. I am infinitely happy working behind the scenes on sets, props, and costuming - but if you put me on the stage I’m an utter mess. It doesn’t matter if it was my Grade 4 Christmas show where I was an elf, my middle school orchestra where I played the trombone, or my TEDedx talk two years ago - I cannot handle being centre stage.