Elly Dallas is an artist, printmaker (‘printcess’), zinester, storyteller, and sharer of ideas. In 2018, I collaborated with Elly to create her business cards and branding.

Elly grew up in NE Ohio where she graduated from Kent State with a BFA in printmaking, and The University of Akron with a Masters degree in Education. Her current art practice consists of working small in the form of comics, zines, relief cuts, monoprints, and embroidery.

Through her work, she explores the idea that personal is political, and change can be made by sharing even the smallest of stories. Through diary comics she documents her experiences as a young woman with the intention of encouraging others to do the same. Her work is influenced by penpals and friends, working with children and teens, DIY culture, and alternative comics.

In 2015, she moved to California to work as a nanny in the Bay Area. While there, she created ‘Nannyville’, which is now part of the UCLA zine library. She also interned at the de Young Museum of San Francisco, working as a children and family programs instructor. This past summer she tabled at LA Zine Fest for the first time, and hosted readings and workshops in Denver, Las Vegas, and Phoenix along the way.

Her experiences working with children have been the most eye opening of all in terms of self love and making real social change. One of her favorite things in the world is making art alongside kids, hearing their stories, and learning together. Her future goals include staying active in the local arts community, working on a larger comic project, and planning the best curriculum ever for her future classroom that she constantly daydreams about.

You can find her comics on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tenderspeck/

You can find her zines for sale here: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EllyDallas