Ren Elias is a ceramic artist from Virginia whose work explores storytelling, identity, and communal connection. They earned their bachelor’s degree in Gender, Sexuality & Feminist Studies from Duke University in 2023, concentrating in Feminist Visual Art while developing their studio practice.

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In 2024, Elias served as an AmeriCorps VISTA at the Yellowstone Art Museum, where they led initiatives to expand access to K–12 arts education. This year in public service reinforced their belief in art’s power to bridge differences and foster collective healing.

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Elias’ ceramic work is deeply narrative, drawing from history, mythology, and personal experience to spark critical conversations. They embrace art as a vessel for connection, weaving together personal, communal, and global perspectives.