About the Artist

Elena Broach - Biography

Elena Broach is a Houston metro area based fine artist specializing in portraiture, figure painting, floral painting and landscapes.

 

Elena is originally from the Russian Far East, with its wild and lush landscapes ranging from the forests surrounding the mountainous town where she was born to the magnificent cliffs of the pacific shoreline, which influences her love for natural beauty. She began studying art at the age six when she was preparing to enter the children art school and after the prep year, she continued her study there for four more years.

 

After finishing high school Elena studied architecture at the Far Eastern State Technical University (now part of the Far East Federal University). During her second year, she spent the summer studying, painting, and drawing plein-air in Moscow, St. Petersburg, and their surrounding cities, including those that are part of the famed Golden Ring of Russia. Elena’s extensive knowledge of perspective, composition, color theory, art and architectural history, and her love for fine details reflects and translates in her artwork and arises from the time of her university study. After completing her degree in architecture, she worked as an educator of drawing, painting, composition, and design at the Vladivostok State University of Economy and Service.

 

At the end of 2000 Elena emigrated to the United States, and from 2011 until today she has been focused on paintings and teaching art. One of the highlights of her art journey was participating in the Belmont Portrayed show in 2016 at Gari Melchers Home and Studio in Virginia. Elena had two paintings in the exhibition and her “Eleven Steps” won the first place people’s choice award.

 

In Elena’s latest works, she portrays dreamlike environments that take the viewer on a journey to places where they can escape everyday life, while slowing down and renewing their spirit. Her paintings are lyrical yet with high visual and emotional impact. They evoke feelings of tenderness, passion and light. Elena’s main goal is to highlight timeless beauty and elegance in her portraits, floral arrangements or landscapes alike.

 

Elena’s paintings are crafted with oil on canvas, (she prefers the fine texture of linen) using traditional techniques of carefully building fine layers of oils on top of each other, with some heavier layers applied at the end. This results in a detailed painting that is rich in depth, in colors and in tonal values. In addition, Elena enjoys creating paintings using the direct method, where she paints from life or plein-air. These paintings are usually done over one or two shorter sessions with fewer layers of paint.

 

“I was always passionate about art! I am fascinated with colors, with the effects of light and shadows, and with the creative process itself. I greatly appreciate and admire the world that is around us, from human forms and faces to nature. In a way I see paintings as an extension of life - yours and mine, therefore I can’t imagine living life without art.” - Elena Broach

 

Professional Affiliations

  • Member of Oil Painters of America
  • Member of Lone Star Art Guild
  • Member of Conroe Art League
  • Member of Woodlands Art League

 

Exhibits, Shows, and Awards    

  • First Place, Fall Judge Show, Conroe Art League, 2025
  • Second Place, Lone Star Art Guild, Regional Show and Exhibit, 2025
  • Finalist, CAL 10th International Fine Art Competition and Exhibit, Conroe Art League, TX, March 2025
  • First Place, Woodlands Art League, The Woodlands, TX, Fall 2024, Judge Show
  • Honorable Mention, Conroe Art League, TX, Fall 2024, Judge Show
  • Finalist, CAL International Fine Art Competition and Exhibit, Conroe Art League, TX, March 2024
  • The Juan Cantavella Award of Distinction, Conroe Art League, TX, January 2024
  • The Juan Cantavella Award of Merit, Conroe Art League, TX,December 2023
  • 12 x 12 Art Show, Conroe Art League, TX, January 2023
  • Hyatt House Exhibit, The Woodlands Art League, TX, March 2022
  • Hidden Fredericksburg, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, July 2020
  • Town and Country, Backdoor Gallery, Two Artists Show, Fredericksburg, VA, July 2019
  • National Juried Art Exhibition, VMRC, Park Gables Gallery, Harrisonburg, VA, June 2019
  • Honorable Mention, Fredericksburg Fine Art Exhibit, VA, March, 2019
  • 6×6, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Regional Juried Show, VA, November, 2018
  • Refresh, Renew, Revive: Seascapes by Elena Broach, Solo show, Backdoor Gallery, Fredericksburg, VA, August 2018
  • 6×6, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Regional Juried Show, November, 2017
  • Summer Solstice, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, National Juried Exhibition, June 2017
  • First Place People’s Choice Award, Belmont Portrayed 40th Anniversary Juried Exhibition, April 2016
  • Belmont Portrayed Exhibition, Gari Melchers home and Studio at Belmont, VA, January through April 2016
  • National Juried Exhibition, For and About Women at the Frederick Gallery, FCCA, Fredericksburg, March 2016
  • 65th Fredericksburg Fine Art Show, March 2016
  • National Juried Exhibition, For the Love of Animals at LibertyTown Arts Workshop, February 2016
  • National Juried Show, The Power of Small at Frederick Gallery, FCCA, Fredericksburg, December 2015, January 2016
  • Members’ Gallery Holiday Show, FCCA, Fredericksburg, December 2015
  • Holiday All Members Exhibit, Art First Gallery, Fredericksburg, December 2015
  • Third Place, Fredericksburg Fine Art Exhibit, February, 2015
  • 6X6, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Regional Juried Show, November, 2014
  • Backdoor Gallery, Locals, May, 2014
  • LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Fredericksburg Plein Air Exhibition, July, 2014
  • Fredericksburg Fine Art Exhibit, February, 2014
  • 6X6, LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Regional Juried Show, November, 2013
  • LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Fredericksburg Plein Air Exhibition, July, 2013
  • Art Attack Show at LibertyTown Arts Workshop, October, 2012
  • LibertyTown Arts Workshop, Fredericksburg Plein Air Exhibition, July, 2012