Elena is a multifaceted artist with a compelling journey from Cuba to the United States. After fleeing Castro's revolution in 1961, she established roots in Washington DC where she pursued architecture before discovering her passion for painting. Her artistic evolution spans decades of nationally exhibited work, artist residencies across the globe, and a transition to botanical art following her certification from Brookside Gardens. With her story captured in the biography "Embracing America: A Cuban Exile Comes of Age," Elena now dedicates herself fully to creating and teaching botanical art after retiring from her engineering design career.