Arlene Ellis

OVERVIEW

Arlene Ellis is a freelance illustrator, textile designer and surface designer. Arlene’s designs are inspired by art history and biology. Through illustration, she articulates her appreciation for the natural world using patterns that reveal an interconnectedness among all species. Whether it’s the intricate texture of a brain coral, the bold colors of a northern flicker, the jewel-like shell of a ladybug, or the dynamic tendrils of a neuron, Arlene references numerous biological patterns to create vibrant illustrative designs for fabric, posters, wallpaper and packaging.

BACKSTORY

By the age of six, Arlene knew her dream career would involve art and fashion. She used to sketch couture gowns drenched in pinks, corals, yellows and with a dash of blue for pure amusement (poor child loved color a bit too much). She drew inspiration from the dozens of fashion magazines that lined the floors of her mother’s bedroom, but it wasn’t until one fateful summer afternoon when she discovered her ultimate muse: the natural world. Like any other 15 year old (who happened to love public television), Arlene stumbled upon a PBS documentary about fractal patterns found in natural phenomena. She discovered that math, science and art were actually compatible. Suddenly her ordinary world became a magical place filled with endless sources of artistic inspiration: the clouds floating above her head, the branches of the broccoli on her plate, the fern plants that thrived in the neighborhood ravine. That summer, her love for biology was born.

Arlene briefly abandoned her love for art, by pursuing a degree in Neuroscience at Smith College. Despite loving the intellectual stimulation of studying science (e.g. she loved research papers), she hated the technical aspect (e.g. tediously recording data in a lab journal all day). Plus, she never felt like she quite fit in with the other science students. While they were all concerned about collecting data from cellular specimens, she was more interested in the shapes, patterns and color schemes (when viewed under the light microscope) of the specimens. As much as Arlene wanted to think like a scientist, she thought like an artist.

After college, Arlene spent seven years working within the advertising industry (five in account management and two in copywriting). As an account executive she served as the daily liaison between agency creative teams, and marketing teams from fortune 500 companies. During her two years as a copywriter, she researched, wrote and presented marketing materials to senior clients and regulatory teams. During her advertising tenure, she founded the design company Organic Lyricism, which sold art and fashion prints inspired by biology. Managing Organic Lyricism incentivized Arlene to refine her skills in illustration, textile design, graphic design, photo editing, public relations and social media.

Recently, Arlene replaced Organic Lyricism with her eponymous brand. After years of being afraid to fully pursue her passion for art, fashion and biology, she is finally ready. Her 6-year-old self would be proud!