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Elmi Leodan Ventura Mata
Elmi is a third-year Gund Scholar at the Cleveland Institute of Art, where he is pursuing a BFA degree. Raised in El Salvador by his grandmother, Elmi came to the USA at age eight to join his parents. When the family broke up, drawing became his refuge and passion.

Despite being an “A” student, Elmi’s limited English resulted in his being two years overage by grade seven. Restore Ministries, his Elizabeth youth group, arranged with St. Mary of the Assumption HS for Elmi to skip grade eight and enter high school. Elmi graduated in 2012 with high honors.

Elmi’s high school was too small to employ an art teacher. In 2009, Restore sent Elmi to Appel Farm Music and Art Center where he studied on scholarship for three summers.

In grade 11, Elmi won a scholarship to attend the pre-college program at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston (SMFA). Earlier that year, Elmi had been chosen for Emerging Artists Creativity Hub (E.A.C.H.) sponsored by Young Audiences of NJ. This led to a Governor’s Arts Award in 2012.

Elmi’s paintings have been exhibited most recently in Cleveland, OH, and in New Jersey at fund raising events in Edison and in Montgomery Township. Elmi has also had solo exhibits at Van Gogh’s Ear Café in Union, and at the NJ Principals and Supervisors Association in Monroe Township.

www.elmiventuramata.com  •  eventuramata@student.cia.edu

	Self-Portrait From Observation #1 20"x30" - oil on canvas - Copyright © 2013 .
	Waving 23"x31" - acrylic on canvas - Copyright © 2014 .
	Smiles 20"x30" - acrylic on canvas - Copyright © 2014 .
	En Cleveland 20"x30" - conte on paper - Copyright © 2013 .