Elena Bushan

Elena Bushan is a professional visual artist, muralist, and art instructor based in Calgary, Alberta. She was born in 1981 in the former Soviet Union and grew up in Moldova. Her passion for art began in early childhood. At the age of ten, she experienced war in her country, and during that time art became a place of safety and healing, something she has never stopped returning to.
Elena has over 11 years of formal art education, having studied at art school and the Academy of Fine Arts before moving abroad. Her work is rooted in imaginative realism, with a strong focus on portrait and figurative painting, while also drawing inspiration from the world around her: nature, cityscapes, florals, animals, and birds.
Her work has been exhibited in Canada and Europe and is held in private collections. In 2017, she received the Canadian Immigrant of Distinction Award in Arts and Culture for her contribution to Calgary’s artistic community.
Alongside her studio practice, Elena creates murals for public spaces, including schools, childcare centres, restaurants, and urban environments. Several of her large-scale murals in downtown Calgary have become local favourites.
She works across a wide range of mediums, including watercolor, acrylic, oil, and gouache, and enjoys exploring new techniques. Passionate about teaching, Elena offers art classes and workshops for children, teenagers, and adults, sharing her knowledge and inspiring creativity.