As Elsass embraced his artistic identity, he had a mentor who painted on rusted, recycled steel, which became one of the foundations of Elsass’ own work on turning rusted steel into fine art.
Years later, Elsass has built his reputation as an internationally-recognized fine artist with paintings in more than 2,000 private collections.
“His art is everywhere,” said Emily Renda of Dayton, who nominated Elsass as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem.
Even with his global reach, he still hangs his hat in Dayton, where he has inspired the local art community.
“He donates his time and art regularly,” Renda said. “He’s made quite a name for himself, and it’s well deserved.”
Elsass, who originally grew up in Botkins in Shelby County, eventually settled on Dayton to be his home base of operations. He has since become a prominent part of the local art community, holding classes with people and nonprofits where they can learn to paint how he paints.
“Leadership Dayton, for their 50th anniversary, painted with me,” Elsass said.
Credit: Bryant Billing
Credit: Bryant Billing
Leadership Dayton is a program through the Dayton Area Chamber of Commerce that works to identify, educate and motivate a network of community leaders and increase their capacity to serve the Dayton region, the chamber says.
The cohort of Leadership Dayton participants who painted with Elsass got to work on their own pieces, as well as about a dozen or so larger pieces within his studio.
Those pieces will go to different venues throughout Dayton, Elsass said, like the Dayton Convention Center.
“I like combining energy of the community, of other people, of events, of timing and creating things without regard for where to go,” Elsass said.
The community also partners with him, such as the Dayton Art Institute, to give him resources.
“We use acrylic paints. I just got a hundred gallons in from the Dayton Art Institute,” Elsass said.
Elsass’ artwork can be have anywhere from 40 to 70 layers of paint on top of them, he said.
Sometimes his pieces will include other materials, such as a commission from Texas where the buyer wanted Elsass to incorporate sand into the painting, Elsass said.
Elsass uses a method of “brush before brain” in his painting process, which means he starts his paintings without knowing what the end product will be, he said.
“You sit down, you pick up a brush ― brushes, scrapers, rollers, your hands ― and you start painting," Elsass said.
His work, which is abstract, incorporates vibrant colors and earthy tones. Elsass approaches his work at all angles, not knowing which will eventually be the top of the painting and which the is the bottom, meaning he doesn’t know the way in which it will hang on the wall until after he finishes it.
Credit: Jim Noelker
Credit: Jim Noelker
This approach gives him a sense of freedom in his process, he said, along with an appreciation of color, texture and living in the moment.
“I’m fortunate to have spaces and paint, and I think that gives me, hopefully gives me, a freedom that I might not have had before,” Elsass said.
One of his studios includes space at the Front Street Art Studios and Galleries, which has credited Elsass as a creative force in the Dayton art community who inspired a movement of creative resurgence.
“He’s innovative and wants everyone to do well in life,” Renda said. “He’s always working and finding ways to get others together to network. He’s a classy man.”
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