Born in Oregon in the early 80's, JEL was drawing heavily at three years old and started selling drawings of Disney characters at recess for chocolate milk money. By high school he spent all of his free time drawing and painting, doing steady painting commissions for private clients while working as a cartoonist for the Portland Community College newspaper, "The Bridge." Winning the state wide "Best cartoonist for a college newspaper" two years in a row. The term "Abstrotica" was created over ten years ago by our artist, mixing abstract and erotic elements together. Creating the new pin up, the new abstract, and adding a twist to classical portature for the 21st century. This style has been branded and will continue to evolve. Academically trained as a professional illustrator, the human figure and portraiture continue to captivate him and he constantly strives to paint them in new and exciting ways. He has been studying anatomy and has been involved in figure drawing classes and workshops on a constant basis for over a decade. JEL has had several solo and group shows along the west coast since 2002, from Portland, Oregon to Laguna Beach and Hollywood. Since 2005 he has built relationships with collectors on a national and international scale. His main goal is to have his art respected and recognized around the world. As of September 2012, JEL resides and works out of S.E. Portland,OR.