Leslie D. Soule​

Elfis#

Artist’s Statement#

My roommate and I had just recently seen the Baz Luhrman film on Elvis, and as we’re sitting there looking through magazines, trying to find a photo that we could use for the body of the elf, my roommate turns to me and shows me a photo of Elvis reclining, looking like some kind of nature god / forest spirit. In the film, someone calls Elvis a “fairy,” which is used as a derogatory term for gay people, due to Elvis’ eyeliner. To a fantasy writer such as myself, stories of the fey are where elves come from. It all just came together nicely, with Elvis being not a fairy but an elf. So for this piece, I used some old magazines, scissors, glue, and lots of glitter (the glitter represents magic and reminds me of David Bowie’s portrayal of the Goblin King in the movie Labyrinth, where he appears in a hail of glitter). The Graceland tour has a big sign that says “Welcome to Graceland” and the “Welcome to Elf Land” was something my roommate thought I should add in, to sort of tie the two ideas together. It seemed natural to add in a giant flower for the Elf King, Elfis, to wear in his hair.

About the Artist#

Leslie D. Soule is a fantasy author who recently completed her Fallenwood Chronicles four book series. She has two books of poetry, My Mentor, Death and Falling Through The World available from Terror House. A citizen journalist, she holds an MA from National University.