By AML Publisher
Photos Courtesy of El Lohse
Lohse was discovered on Etsy by a writer for NBC’s hit show, The Office, who came across her illustration of the character ‘Dwight.’ Lohse was commissioned to do work for their wrap party last season and now has strong ties with the show’s producers and cast.
The four pack of Golden Girls fridge magnets did it for me. Working through some late night leads on Etsy for the AML Phavorites series, I stopped dead in my (online) tracks. Before me was a mesmerizing collection from West Chester artist extraordinaire El Lohse and her kitschy, interpretation of pop culture icons entitled ‘elloh’. Her endless array of work, acrylic paintings, brought me instantly back to some of my fondest childhood memories and the TV shows, movies and characters that were a part of it. El’s art includes odes to Sixteen Candles, Mr. T, John Cougar Mellencamp’s hit song Little Pink Houses, Willy Wonka, The Golden Girls, Mr. Rogers, The Sound of Music and more. I found myself entranced with each piece on her Etsy site as my mind went into memory overdrive!
My delight in elloh is shared by many a fan, and customer. Lohse is one of the Delaware Valley’s most successful Etsy artists, having sold over 2,700 pieces of her fine work in less than two years. Even a call up to my corporate Etsy connections (mind you they manage a database of over 250,000 vendors) garnered an immediate, “Oh, sure, El Lohse is a great Etsian!” That’s when I knew Lohse’s line of art, entitled elloh (purposefully spelled with a lowercase ‘e’) was a fantastic pick for our Etsy Phavorites series.
elloh.etsy.com
Lohse (El is short for Ellen) grew up in a close family of five (a sister and three brothers) in Haverford. Her father’s family hails from New York City, where she spent some of her early childhood. So, her work surrounding Audrey Hepburn and Breakfast at Tiffany’s draws from her younger years in the Big Apple. Her TV viewing time, especially on sick days, was spent soaking in classics with her mother and sister, like Meet Me in Saint Louis, Rear Window, and Jane Eyre as well as modern day series such as Bill Cosby’s Picture Pages and countless episodes of Different Strokes. In third grade, El’s teacher asked the class who everyone’s favorite actor was. Lohse’s response? Gregory Peck. But, her nod to eighties icons is the most compelling and charming part of her prolific collection.
Outside of her prints, Lohse is expanding to greeting cards, mugs, magnets and more. Her ‘Thank You for Being a Friend’ Golden Girls note cards have wide appeal.With the bicentennial of Abe Lincoln’s birthday, she has also spent time this year developing a series in recognition of the sixteenth president. “I am always open to suggestions for new projects, what people want to see as well. I enjoy getting ideas from strangers and those who appreciate my art,” explained Lohse.
Lohse’s awesome array of pop culture art celebrates the child in all of us. Depicted is the famous scene with Willy Wonka’s Violet.
Etsy Site: elloh.etsy.com
Started on Etsy: December 23, 2006
Price Range: $15-$60 (approx)
Sales on Etsy: 2,737
Website: artbyel.com
Blog: www.dailyode.blogspot.com
Blog Highlight: Lohse’s blog, dailyodeblogspot.com, has little gems of wisdom and insight into daily experiences and her creative process. We love her nod to Pippi Longstocking, and author Astrid Lindgren’s quote from the famed children’s book, “…there is no child that inspires me more than the child I once was.”
Twitter: twitter.com/elloh
Hometown: Haverford
Age: 32
Occupation: Artist
Lohse’s love of The Golden Girls includes this work, thank you cards and clever fridge magnets.
High School: Haverford High
College: Rhode Island School of Design, Illustration
Current Residence: West Chester, PA
El’s Favorite Work in her Collection: Golden Girls (I grew up watching them), Breakfast at Tiffany’s (I love the movie—the fashion, the setting, Audrey and George Peppard), The Office portraits (Dwight and Jim especially), Ode to Olive (she reminds me a lot of myself at her age).
Publisher’s Pick: T-Time, Ode to Mister T and a cup of Early Grey
Artistic Inspiration: Beatrix Potter, Maira Kalman, Al Hirschfeld, Red Grooms, Frida Kahlo, Edward Gorey, Alice Neel, Art Spiegelman, Van Gogh, Mary Cassatt, Early Flemish art, Ben Shahn, Mary Blair and Charles Schulz…just to name a few.
Former Life: Lohse taught classes at the Main Line Art Center, among other creative ventures. She also worked as a wedding photographer in Philadelphia. One of her fondest memories was a wedding that was held at The Top of The Tower downtown-the groom had an intense fear of heights. “It was fairly humorous because we could not take photos outside, that is when I decided to move out of the wedding industry.”
The Office: A writer for NBC’s hit show, The Office, found Lohse on Etsy and her illustration of character ‘Dwight.’ So, Lohse was commissioned to do work for their wrap party last season and now has strong ties with the show’s producers and cast.
Favorite Restaurant in West Chester/Hangout: Breakfast: ‘DK Diner‘; Dinner: ‘Teca‘ now that Vincent’s is closed.
Little Miss Sunshine…Ode to Olive $35
Favorite Place to Grab Coffee in West Chester: My local Wawa, Fennario’s or my kitchen where I pretend to be a barista.
Downtime: Reading, yoga, being outdoors, watching movies for inspiration and seeing them locally at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute, dreaming of places I’d love to visit, playing my guitar horribly but happily, going online and checking blogs, Etsy, Twitter, Yahoo…for entirely too long (that’s what happens when your work is online. :)
Hobbies: Traveling, thrift store shopping (it’s always an adventure!), film and documentaries, painting/drawing for myself and not for business, photography, working on stained glass projects, reading (fiction, nonfiction and especially children’s books), writing, sculpture, yoga, music, laughing with family and friends.
El’s favorite Etsians: mincingmockingbird.etsy.com, elsita.etsy.com, girlscantell.etsy.com
A Great Gift: Since Lohse’s work spans the pop culture gamut (from Hitchcock to Mary Poppins, Say Anything, 30 Rock and more) her affordable art makes an awesome holiday or birthday gift—and a guaranteed conversation piece for years to come.
Kudos: Lohse was contacted a few weeks go by the courthouse of Monroe County, Alabama to send her collection of work that is an ode To Kill A Mockingbird. Author Harper Lee’s hometown is nearby Monroeville. The woman who requested the art found Lohse on Etsy.
What You Talkin’ Bout Willis?: On the horizon for more elloh work-odes to Different Strokes, Goonies, Gone with the Wind…and more. Lohse is also going to bring back a very popular line of coffee mugs around her Breakfast at Tiffany’s work as well as develop a ‘Tiffany’s calendar.
A full selection of El Lohse’s art can be found be found on Etsy.com at elloh.etsy.com. Lohse’s blog is: dailyodeblogspot.com. Website: artbyel.com
Know a great Etsy vendor that’s based in the Delaware Valley? Send us their link for consideration for our Etsy Phavorites series. Contact: info@aroundmainline.com
