I'm Elysse Wallace Helms, an artist and designer based Northeast Florida. I specialize in pyrography, both small and large-scale painting, and interior decoration for commercial spaces. I obtained my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ithaca College, with a focus on scenic and costume design, as well as scenic art. Throughout my career, I've worked across various verticals, including scenic art and design for theatre, set styling for the Home Shopping Network, and creative design and project management in the interior branding industry.

Pyrography Experience Drawn to the pyrography pen during my high school’s studio arts class, I was immediately captivated by the way different woods absorbed heat, texture, and color. The smell of burning wood and the way the fibers took on paint and other embellishments compelled me to explore further. My artwork predominantly features the natural world, focusing on coastal and mountain landscapes, figures, foliage, and animals. My strong connection to my New Zealand heritage, nurtured through visits to my grandparents' home in the quaint fishing town of Kawhia Bay and my father’s bustling beach home in Sumner, Christchurch, inspired me to use the vibrant and sacred Pohutakawa flower in my logo.

Decor Experience As a creative, I've always been curious about how things are made. During my time as a Scenic Stylist for the Home Shopping Network in St. Petersburg, FL, I frequently drew on my background in scenic art for theatre to assist in producing custom artwork, props, and floral arrangements for several studios throughout the network's headquarters. Achieving high-end looks on a television and theatre budget is where I bring my magic to the stage. I excel in discovering and presenting decor that follows the latest trends while thoughtfully designing each piece to fit within the space, always focusing on elevating the overall brand. I also enjoy sourcing and promoting other artists' and makers' works within these spaces. I believe that deliberate intention and execution with decor is what invites the audience and customer to clearly identify themselves within the brick and mortar of a brand.

Painting Experience As a child, my first love was painting and drawing. I always knew I wanted to be an artist, and eventually, I became fascinated with the practice of stage and production design. During my pursuit of a BFA in Theatre Production Design, I was able to learn various skills in carpentry, drafting, model building, props artistry, and my favorite focus, scenic art. Throughout my scenic artist career, I’ve learned a variety of clever and handy tricks of the trade. I’ve continued to use these learnings throughout my career in set styling and interior branding and continue to draw on them in all my endeavors.