Elysa Joelle Wade

Photo by Joelle Wade

Wade has been a creative artist since her youth where she grew up surrounded by the forests outside of Richmond, Virginia. She began her artistic career as a fashion designer after graduating from Virginia Commonwealth University with a BA in Fine Arts in 2011. 

After 4 years spent in the fashion industry she discovered pyrography and it quickly became her new passion. The use of wood as a canvas was reminiscent of her childhood love of trees and the natural world. The process of pyrography captivated her and the scent of burning pine regularly permeated her work space. 

Over time as she expanded her craft, she picked up various woodworking skills to aid in her ability to construct unique pieces of art using her pyrography embellishments. With these expertise came an idea that combined her seamstress and woodworking knowledge into a new form of artistic expression. She began designing geometric quilted canvas installations, dying the fabric and fabricating the frames for each piece by hand. 

Wade’s zealous love of creation continues to expand and evolve as she moves forward in her artistic pursuits. She spends her days brainstorming different ways to combine her diverse artistic mediums together and finds enjoyment within every discovery.