Artist Statement

Elliot Avis B. 1995 is a multimedia artist working through the lens of contemporary painting. Born and raised in Philadelphia, he is currently working out of the greater Detroit area as he finishes his MFA at the Cranbrook Academy of Art.

All of the references of my work are autobiographical in some way, in that they represent an interest of mine but that could range anywhere from cartoons, religion, history, or even pure math. As far as themes go I am aiming more for a feeling rather than someone understanding all of the references that may exist in a work. I often say my work acts as an inside joke with myself where I will have very specific layered references that I am using, but my crude and playful style obscures the majority of those. I like to leave the viewer with a work that feels fun, playful, maybe nostalgic, but at the same time having a slightly darker undertone or uneasiness in the piece.