As a student in anthropology, Elin Weinstein conducted fieldwork in Bali; she was drawn to the Balinese concept that some Art is alive, the Art inspired by the Gods. She places her craft at the juncture between cultural scholarship and Living Art. Elin respects geometry and admires clean lines, while also having a tendency towards complexity. It is this juxtaposition that produces her fundamental of intricate minimalism.

 

For Elin pearls are symbolic of regrowth after adversity; a pearl is formed when an oyster lays down layers and layers of nacre to soften an irritant that’s gotten under it’s shell.  Bringing the object forward from its traditional form (strung as a necklace), Elin works with pearls in unusual ways and unique contrasts.

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During a trip to Japan, Elin wandered around Tokyo delighted by the way the vertical street signs were stacked one on top of the other, as they advertised places of business. A visit to the Robot Restaurant and her visceral reaction to the lights and mythological characters in the show solidified her determination to find a way to represent this colourful extravaganza in her art.  Elin turned to plexiglass.

 

Educated at the Visual Arts Centre in Westmount QC, and the Ecole Joaillerie de Montreal, Elin works out of Atelier Artefact in Montreal.  She has participated in exhibitions and Craft Shows across Canada and the US.