Els Baekelandt was born in Zottegem, Belgium in 1963.
From 1981 till 1985, she studies Applied Arts at The Luca School of Arts in Ghent, Belgium.
From 1986 until 1999, she works as a graphic designer and calligrapher in the studio of the famous French artist Claude Mediavilla in Paris, where she develops her extremely distinctive style, working on corporate logotypes, image advertising, headlines, titling for posters and books, and layout.
From 1994 till 2014, she is in charge of the conception and layout of art books, catalogues and the magazines Art & Métiers du Livre, Art de l'Enluminure and Métiers d'art published by Éditions Faton, Dijon-Paris.
In 2007, she sets up a workshop/gallery in La Charité-sur-Loire, Burgundy, France.
From 2011 till 2013, she lives in Madrid. From 2013 on, she lives and works in Spain and in Ghent, Belgium.
This website provides an insight into Els Baekelandt's work over the last 30 years. On the one hand, there are the exquisitely drawn letters of the most elegant kind, on the other hand, the very expressive abstract calligraphies. Her formal calligraphic background gives a classy, unique, and handmade touch to her creations. Her masterly skills can also be observed in her botanical illustrations and nature paintings.
Her clients have included: Boucheron (Paris), the American Embassy (Paris), the Sarkozy Family (Paris), Éditions Faton (Dijon), L'École des Loisirs (Paris), the National Printing Office (Paris), Thunderbay Press (USA), Partners&Co (USA), Le Cercle de la Librairie (Paris), Mauboussin (Paris), Houtland-Edilux (Belgium), Éditions Alternatives (Paris), La Mairie de Paris, La Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, Les Bibliophiles de France (Paris), Imprimerie Bussière (Paris), Les Cartes Bancaires CB (Paris), Photo Service (Paris), Maison Agry, (Paris), Penelope Agency (Paris), EDF (Paris), Olivier Dassault (Paris), Banque Bred (Paris). She has also created several artist's books with famous French poets, such as Lionel Ray, Bernard Noël and Michel Butor.
In addition, she has collaborated in various movies: Julie de Carneilhan by Christopher Frank, Jefferson in Paris by James Ivory, Les Enfants du Siècle by Diane Kurys and Vidocq by Pitof.
Her works have been published in magazines and newspapers such as Art & Métiers du Livre (Paris, France), Scriptores (The Netherlands), Plumes (Paris, France), Kalligraphie-Zeitschrift (Germany), Création numérique (Paris, France), Ingham County Community News (USA), Bourgogne Magazine (France), Estilográfica (Madrid, Spain).
Solo exhibitions
- 2000 Atelier Point & Marge, Paris, France
- 2001 Art Studio One, Michigan, USA
- 2003 Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Brussels, Belgium
- 2004 River Street Gallery, Manistee, USA
- 2004 Galerie L’Alisier, Paris, France
- 2011 El Club de Estilográficas, Madrid.
- 2019 Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, Booth IN219
- 2020 "Nostalgie", Chez Laurent, Zottegem, Belgium
- 2022 "e-motion, artist of the month, September 2nd-25th, Art Center Zebrastraat, Ghent
- 2023 DeWeverij, Sleidinge, August 27th-Sept 10th
- 2024 Galerie Resonans, from June 7th-8th-9th / 15th-16th, Ghent
Group exhibitions
- 1986 Jan Broes Gallery, Bruges, Belgium
- 1991 École Estienne, Paris, France
- 1993 Cultural Center SEL, Sèvres, France
- 1994 Librairie Herckenrath, Gand, Belgique
- 1995 Galerie Slotine, Le Havre, France
- 1997 Mairie d’Itteville, France
- 2000 Atelier Point & Marge, Paris, France
- 2001 Art Studio One, Michigan, USA
- 2002 Jan Broes Gallery, Bruges, Belgium
- 2002 Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Brussels, Belgium
- 2003 Château de Grouchy, Osny, France
- 2004 Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
- 2004 River Street Gallery, Manistee, USA
- 2004 Exceptional Books Fair, Albi, France
- 2004 The Dancing Crane Gallery, USA
- 2005 Roy Saper galleries, Lansing, USA
- 2007 Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
- 2008 « Femmes de Talent », La Charité-sur-Loire, France
- 2018 « Walls talk », Antwerp, Belgium and Italy
- 2018 FIIN 2018, Nature and scientific drawing, Vila Real, Portugal
- 2023 Nobody & Friends Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
- 2024 Artist Meeting, Grand Casino Knokke, August 23rd-25th
- 2024/2025 Galerie Resonans, from December 6th 2024- February 2nd 2025
Books and limited editions
In 2004, she illustrates "Les Mots" by Vercors, Éditions Alternatives, Paris.
In 2006 is published "Comme nuage et vent", a limited edition book, poems by Lionel Ray and etchings by Els, typography and printing by La Zone Opaque, Paris, SanchezAlamo Publisher.
"Els Baekelandt is an all-round artist who succeeds in giving her works a definite plasticity and energy. They are characterized by their harmony of proportions and rhythm, and by a subtle application of color that supports their dominating formal aspect. A perfect control of the tracing techniques is coupled with a vivid sense of inventivity."
Annie De Coster, Former Curator of the Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Brussels, Belgium
"Els is an artist whose quiet strength recalls two major aspects of her work: the force, on the one hand, evokes her constant effort to create strong lines, and on the other hand, her ability to generate disruptions or links depending on whether two points will be joined or whether they will reject each other, opening new doors of perception.
Beyond her creations, and on an international scale, Els’ works can be positioned in a field of exchange and mutual understanding. Far from the caricature of the egocentric artist, having the chance to collaborate with her quickly becomes a source of mutual enrichment."
Pierre-Yves Csinidis, writer
From 1981 till 1985, she studies Applied Arts at The Luca School of Arts in Ghent, Belgium.
From 1986 until 1999, she works as a graphic designer and calligrapher in the studio of the famous French artist Claude Mediavilla in Paris, where she develops her extremely distinctive style, working on corporate logotypes, image advertising, headlines, titling for posters and books, and layout.
From 1994 till 2014, she is in charge of the conception and layout of art books, catalogues and the magazines Art & Métiers du Livre, Art de l'Enluminure and Métiers d'art published by Éditions Faton, Dijon-Paris.
In 2007, she sets up a workshop/gallery in La Charité-sur-Loire, Burgundy, France.
From 2011 till 2013, she lives in Madrid. From 2013 on, she lives and works in Spain and in Ghent, Belgium.
This website provides an insight into Els Baekelandt's work over the last 30 years. On the one hand, there are the exquisitely drawn letters of the most elegant kind, on the other hand, the very expressive abstract calligraphies. Her formal calligraphic background gives a classy, unique, and handmade touch to her creations. Her masterly skills can also be observed in her botanical illustrations and nature paintings.
Her clients have included: Boucheron (Paris), the American Embassy (Paris), the Sarkozy Family (Paris), Éditions Faton (Dijon), L'École des Loisirs (Paris), the National Printing Office (Paris), Thunderbay Press (USA), Partners&Co (USA), Le Cercle de la Librairie (Paris), Mauboussin (Paris), Houtland-Edilux (Belgium), Éditions Alternatives (Paris), La Mairie de Paris, La Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, Les Bibliophiles de France (Paris), Imprimerie Bussière (Paris), Les Cartes Bancaires CB (Paris), Photo Service (Paris), Maison Agry, (Paris), Penelope Agency (Paris), EDF (Paris), Olivier Dassault (Paris), Banque Bred (Paris). She has also created several artist's books with famous French poets, such as Lionel Ray, Bernard Noël and Michel Butor.
In addition, she has collaborated in various movies: Julie de Carneilhan by Christopher Frank, Jefferson in Paris by James Ivory, Les Enfants du Siècle by Diane Kurys and Vidocq by Pitof.
Her works have been published in magazines and newspapers such as Art & Métiers du Livre (Paris, France), Scriptores (The Netherlands), Plumes (Paris, France), Kalligraphie-Zeitschrift (Germany), Création numérique (Paris, France), Ingham County Community News (USA), Bourgogne Magazine (France), Estilográfica (Madrid, Spain).
Solo exhibitions
- 2000 Atelier Point & Marge, Paris, France
- 2001 Art Studio One, Michigan, USA
- 2003 Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Brussels, Belgium
- 2004 River Street Gallery, Manistee, USA
- 2004 Galerie L’Alisier, Paris, France
- 2011 El Club de Estilográficas, Madrid.
- 2019 Ann Arbor Street Art Fair, The Original, Booth IN219
- 2020 "Nostalgie", Chez Laurent, Zottegem, Belgium
- 2022 "e-motion, artist of the month, September 2nd-25th, Art Center Zebrastraat, Ghent
- 2023 DeWeverij, Sleidinge, August 27th-Sept 10th
- 2024 Galerie Resonans, from June 7th-8th-9th / 15th-16th, Ghent
Group exhibitions
- 1986 Jan Broes Gallery, Bruges, Belgium
- 1991 École Estienne, Paris, France
- 1993 Cultural Center SEL, Sèvres, France
- 1994 Librairie Herckenrath, Gand, Belgique
- 1995 Galerie Slotine, Le Havre, France
- 1997 Mairie d’Itteville, France
- 2000 Atelier Point & Marge, Paris, France
- 2001 Art Studio One, Michigan, USA
- 2002 Jan Broes Gallery, Bruges, Belgium
- 2002 Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Brussels, Belgium
- 2003 Château de Grouchy, Osny, France
- 2004 Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
- 2004 River Street Gallery, Manistee, USA
- 2004 Exceptional Books Fair, Albi, France
- 2004 The Dancing Crane Gallery, USA
- 2005 Roy Saper galleries, Lansing, USA
- 2007 Bibliothèque Historique de la Ville de Paris, Paris, France
- 2008 « Femmes de Talent », La Charité-sur-Loire, France
- 2018 « Walls talk », Antwerp, Belgium and Italy
- 2018 FIIN 2018, Nature and scientific drawing, Vila Real, Portugal
- 2023 Nobody & Friends Gallery, Antwerp, Belgium
- 2024 Artist Meeting, Grand Casino Knokke, August 23rd-25th
- 2024/2025 Galerie Resonans, from December 6th 2024- February 2nd 2025
Books and limited editions
In 2004, she illustrates "Les Mots" by Vercors, Éditions Alternatives, Paris.
In 2006 is published "Comme nuage et vent", a limited edition book, poems by Lionel Ray and etchings by Els, typography and printing by La Zone Opaque, Paris, SanchezAlamo Publisher.
"Els Baekelandt is an all-round artist who succeeds in giving her works a definite plasticity and energy. They are characterized by their harmony of proportions and rhythm, and by a subtle application of color that supports their dominating formal aspect. A perfect control of the tracing techniques is coupled with a vivid sense of inventivity."
Annie De Coster, Former Curator of the Bibliotheca Wittockiana, Brussels, Belgium
"Els is an artist whose quiet strength recalls two major aspects of her work: the force, on the one hand, evokes her constant effort to create strong lines, and on the other hand, her ability to generate disruptions or links depending on whether two points will be joined or whether they will reject each other, opening new doors of perception.
Beyond her creations, and on an international scale, Els’ works can be positioned in a field of exchange and mutual understanding. Far from the caricature of the egocentric artist, having the chance to collaborate with her quickly becomes a source of mutual enrichment."
Pierre-Yves Csinidis, writer
