The Elemental Creative aims to create captivating, unique, and high quality artwork that speaks to the stories that we all hold inside of us and turns them outward for the world to see.

El Ratajczak (they/them/theirs) is a multimedia portrait artist with experience in oil painting, gouache, colored pencil, graphite, charcoal, pen and ink, acrylic markers, watercolors, mixed media, collage, and sewing. They have found a niche focusing on portraits and work mainly in oils, gouache, and colored pencil, however they love to prioritize play by experimenting with different media and techniques.

El aims to capture the aura and essence of their subjects in their work, and they are heavily influenced by nature, fashion, social justice, and queer culture. They enjoy using their subjects’ clothing and styling to add layers of depth to the stories their portraits tell, and find inspiration in maximalist fashion and style. Their experience in social work brings compassion and vulnerability to their creative process, adding depth and weaving stories with the strokes of their brush. El’s work asks viewers to confront what it is like to be truly seen, and how our identities and outward expressions of self can hold us back or set us free.

El Ratajczak has been drawing since they could hold a crayon and have always been captivated by people. El made a painting of a ballerina when they were in second grade which was shown in a gallery as part of an exhibition for their school. Seeing their work on display made them realize that creativity was their calling. With support and encouragement from their parents and art teachers, El began to explore art and developed a deep passion for creating. El was classically trained in oil portraiture from ages 13-17 and took AP art all 4 years of high school. They received their first commission at age 13, and have since been commissioned to create countless portraits of humans and animals alike.

El attended two years of art school at the University of Georgia before switching their major and earning a Bachelor’s degree in social work. El has always made their way back to art, though, and created The Elemental Creative in 2025 as a way to continue growing their art into a creative business. El is proudly nonbinary and queer, and their experience as part of the LGBTQ+ community greatly informs their work. El lives happily in Arizona with their two dogs, three reptiles, and their polycule of romantic and platonic life partners.

Personal Bio

Email: el.ementalcreativeportraits@gmail.com

Instagram: @el_ementalcreative

TikTok: @el_ementalcreative

BlueSky: @elementalcreative 

Substack: @elementalcreative