Postindustrial met talented artist Elena Corradino during a recent visit to Johnson City, Tennessee, where a growing number of creators of all stripes have found a home.
We met Elena Corradino while exploring Johnson City, a one-time railroad depot once so known during prohibition for its wild nightlife it was dubbed “Little Chicago.”
These days, the gangsters are gone, and in their place are a delightful collection of downtown murals and other public art, part of the city’s Postindustrial Reinvention thanks to creatives who call it home.
Elena’s work immediately caught our eye when we saw it at the Fischman Gallery, whose namesake owner, Nancy, purchased in 2016 an old wholesale grocery warehouse and turned it into artists’ spaces and a home for a bakery.
As we ascended to Elena's studio, epoxy-dipped star-and-ghost garlands snaked along the stairwell, with her other works adorning the walls, inviting us into her creative world.
I was both amazed and deeply inspired by the sheer volume of creative output. I thought to myself, hell yeah, this is the studio of a dedicated artist who’s truly grinding.
As I learned more about Elena and her work, my initial impressions were confirmed.
But enough from me. Let’s hear from the artist in her own words:
I’ve been creating since I learned to hold a pen.
Art was a subject I excelled at. Even in elementary school, people thought of me as an artist, a title I graciously adopted as a part of my core personality.
I always felt that this is what I was meant to be doing, though I wasn’t always sure of how to make it a reality.
Because I wasn’t diagnosed with ADHD until much later in life, I struggled in school. Even as I got older, with my sights set on making art a career, I had a hard time in traditional learning environments.
I ended up attempting college for graphic design, only to drop out. Still, art remained my safe space. I never stopped exploring, creating, or making.
Then, I started to travel, painting live during concerts wherever I was. And I started selling my art, too.
But this lifestyle proved to be unstable, and I yearned to settle down and refocus.
After I was finally diagnosed with ADHD, I started to rethink my life. I decided to start working in a restaurant, with art becoming more of a hobby.
I really tried my best to pursue this path! I was so close to taking a salaried position, but at the last minute, I backed out. I knew deep down I was an artist, so I quit and poured everything I had into the career I had always dreamed of.
My goal was simple: to pay my bills with art.
And you know what? It actually worked! Though the road hasn’t always been smooth, it’s been 7 years, and I'm still here and proud of my work.
