A B O U T
Cold martinis & black caviar. Setting the table. Attention to detail, however small. Feeling a room quiet as food is served, hands motioning in every direction. A public space as an intimate one. Evocative moments of community formed through hospitality, around the table, in a space made whole by being filled.
Elana Shvalbe is from Toronto, Canada, and currently resides in Providence, Rhode Island, and is pursuing an MFA in furniture design from the Rhode Island School of Design.
Making objects & furniture that reassert hospitality within the home.
EDUCATION
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)
Master of Fine Arts, Furniture Design | 2020- 2022
University of Guelph
Bachelor of Arts Honours, Sculpture | Photography | 2016
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Research Assistant to John Dunnigan
Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | 2021
Teaching Assistant, History of Furniture Design
Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | 2021
Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Furniture Design
Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | 2021
Assistant to Susan Dobson
Susan Dobson Photography | Guelph, ON | 2016- 2017
Assistant for Set Design
He Said It. Monologue presented by HATCH | Toronto, ON | 2016
Performer
Film honouring Suzy Lake’s Governor General Award in Visual and Media Arts | Toronto, ON | 2016
Assistant to Suzy Lake
Suzy Lake | Toronto, ON | 2015- 2016
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Five Seats, A Cocktail Bar | Guelph, ON | 2019- 2020
Owner | Bartender
Cosimo Maria Masini | San Miniato, Italy | 2018
Harvester
Artisanale French Country Cooking | Guelph, ON | 2017-2018
Chef De Partie
SELECTED PERSONAL EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS
Boarding House Gallery | A Heap of Random Sweepings | Guelph, ON | 2016
University of Guelph | Specialized Open Studios | Guelph, ON | 2016
Zavitz Gallery | 48th Annual Juried Art Show | University of Guelph | Guelph, ON | 2016
Notice Door Gallery | Viewing Devices | Guelph, ON | 2016
Zavitz Gallery | Related Forms (Put Together) | University of Guelph | Guelph, ON | 2016
Zavitz Gallery | The Arcades Project | Guelph, ON | 2015
Boarding House Gallery | Fəˈtäɡrəfē | Guelph, ON | 2015
University of Guelph | 47th Annual Juried Art Show | Guelph, ON | 2015
The Black Cat Gallery | The Salon of Inclusiveness | Toronto, ON | 2014
SELECTED COLLECTIVE EXHIBITIONS & PROJECTS
Hyundai Research Collaborative | Competitive application for research collaborative in Adaptive Ecologies (accepted, declined due to scheduling conflict) | Rhode Island School of Design | Providence, RI | 2021
Y+ Contemporary | Sadsadderdaze: When you touch one thing, you have to touch all things | Toronto, ON | 2017
The White House Studio Project | Sadsadderdaze: To Produce (A Mark) | Toronto, ON | 2017
Idea Exchange Preston Gallery | Sadsadderdaze: Take Part (A Sport) | Cambridge, ON | 2016
Silence | Sadsadderdaze: Summer Night Market Guelph, ON | 2016
Public Installation presented by Kazoo Guelph | Sadsadderdaze: COURTYARD | Guelph, ON | 2016
The Ebar | Sadsadderdaze: SADSADDERDAZE | Guelph, ON | 2015
AWARDS | SCHOLARSHIPS
Rhode Island School of Design MFA Fellowship Award | Providence, RI | 2020 - 2021
Aimia AGO Photography Prize Scholarship Honourable Mention | Toronto, ON | 2015
Second Place Photography Prize | 47th Annual Juried Art Show | Guelph, ON | 2015
The University of Guelph Fellowship Award | Guelph, ON | 2011
PUBLICATIONS
Blurb | "Five Seats, A Cocktail Book" | Guelph, ON | 2020
Illustrator | Co- Author
Guelph: P.S. | "On a hot day should you keep your windows open or closed?" | Guelph, ON | 2017
Co- Author | Co- Graphic Designer
Guelph: CFRU | "International Art English with SADSADDERDAZE" | Lavery, Lauren | Guelph, ON | 2017
Guelph: P.S. | “This happened to one of us” | The &, collective | Guelph, ON | 2016
Co- Illustrator
Guelph: Kasai Kreative | “The Sads of Guelph” | Firebrace, Caryse | Guelph, ON | 2016
Guelph: Kazoo! | “Why SADSADDERDAZE Rules” | Bortolon- Vetter, Sara | Guelph, ON | 2016
Issue 6. Guelph: Kaleidoscope | “Swallowing and Digestion” | Guelph, ON | 2015
C O N T A C T