I love doing this!

For the first ten years of my professional life, I worked in advertising and marketing firms, but I always felt that something abou t that wasn’t quite right. So I moved to Manhattan—a place I’d always wanted to live—found an apartment and enrolled in the best art school I could find. I went from being a “C” student in college, to the Dean’s List. Everyone back in California got a good laugh out of that!

I feel lucky everyday because I’ve found my true calling. The art shows, the licensing agent, the gallery work, all came easily because I was madly in love with what I was doing. This isn’t work, this is life. My art is pretty happy because I’m pretty happy. I paint because I can’t sing.”

Trained in fine art & illustration at The School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, Ellyna Berglund has worked in chalk pastels for the past ten years. You can see her work on licensed products: on rugs, trays, baby bibs, posters, stationary and greeting cards.

Her style is whimsical and energetic, with aggressive movement and color. Her application of the pastel color on hot-press paper is varied: applied by crillon, dry sponge, cloth and fingertip. The majority of Ellyna’s work is sold to private collectors through direct sales and galleries. Her work has been utilized in interior decorating by both individuals and corporations, commissioned by companies for use in their advertising, and licensed to be used in marketed materials.