Born in Detroit in 1999, Elena Masi is an oil painter working in Northern Michigan. She began drawing and painting in her early childhood and has developed her artistic voice over the years by intertwining unexpected surfaces with meaningful landscapes. Most known for her painted antique skis, Masi has transformed an offhand idea from a family member into her main creative practice. Preparing the skis for painting is meditative for her; she carefully deconstructs the bindings and primes the surface for fine art. These skis serve as both canvases and historical objects, adding layers of context and storytelling to her work.

After earning her BFA from Kendall College of Art and Design in 2021, she continued creating ski paintings for collectors throughout the country. She then attended an artist’s residency at Dorland Arts Colony in California in 2023. During her month-long stay on the mountain, Masi deepened her connection with the natural world and refined her skills with oil studies of the landscape. The growth fostered by the residency is evident in her expression of light and atmosphere.

Her work is deeply connected to the natural environment, the influence of her communities, and her interest in unassuming yet sentimental objects. Masi’s greatest joy in her craft is found in the tactile nature of the process, the layering and experimentation with paint, and the act of connecting with viewers over a shared appreciation for their surroundings.