‘Drawing gives me self-confidence and a more positive outlook on life’ – North Herts schoolgirl wows celebrities with her Instagram art
Ella Dorn started uploading her work to Instagram nearly two years ago and since then as notched up more than 2,000 followers. - Credit: Archant
A North Herts schoolgirl has been wowing online audiences with her artwork on Instagram – attracting ‘likes’ from a string of musicians and TV personalities.
Codicote’s Ella Dorn had always been creative but started investing more time in her work during Year 9 at a North Herts school.
She said: “I’ve been drawing all my life, but started drawing every day when I was 13 to build my confidence.
“I don’t think I’ve always been good, but I have been practising more and more. My drawings can take up to four hours, but the ones I do in class take 20 minutes.”
Global success Lorde, indie musicians Sky Ferreira and Kali Uchis, the stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race and American actress Rose McGowan have all stopped by the 14-year-old’s Instagram account to ‘like’ her work.
She said: “I mostly draw people who I think will suit my style – people who are flamboyant.
“Rose McGowan is in Jawbreaker, one of my favourite films, so I was really happy when she commented the picture I did of her. She said her father was a fine artist and for me to keep going.
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“I was in denial that Lorde posted one of my pictures on her account for a while – I’ve been a fan her for about three years so it was a shock that she actually noticed my art.”
Ella, who has more than 2,000 online followers, celebrates two years of Instagram posts this summer and is showing no signs of packing up her pencils.
She said: “Drawing gives me self-confidence and a more positive outlook on life.
“When people compliment my art, I feel proud and inspired to make more.”
Ella lives with mum Marianne, dad Alan and her 12-year-old brother Oliver.
Marianne said “I’m delighted for Ella. Her work is very original in style and I’m very proud of her.”
When she finishes school Ella has plenty of choices for her future career: “I play the ukulele but that’s more of a hobby, I’m not as serious about it as I am with art.”
“My favourite subjects at school are art and sociology so when I’m older I think I’d like to be an artist or a sociologist,” she said.
You can view Ella’s work on her Instagram account at @ellvetica.
