El Ratajczak (they/them) is a portrait artist based in Chandler, Arizona. El has been drawing since they could hold a pencil and has always been captivated by people. El’s work was shown in a gallery for the first time as part of an exhibition for their school when they were in second grade, and they knew then that they were made to create. El was classically trained in oil portraiture from ages 14-17 and took AP art all 4 years of high school. They received their first commission, a tribute portrait of Michael Jackson, 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 degree in social work. El has always made their way back to art though, and have continued taking commissions and making art as they navigate their career in social work.

El has experience in a variety of media, including oil painting, gouache, colored pencil, graphite, charcoal, pen and ink, acrylic paint marker, and watercolors. Specializing in portraiture, El loves capturing the aura and essence of their subjects in their work. They live happily in Chandler with their spouse Richard, two dogs, and three reptiles.