Venus Williams' Creative Director Shares Passion For Street Art

MIAMI, FL — When Venus Williams' creative art director wants to unwind at the end of a busy week, she hits the streets of Miami, but not just because of the city's famous nightlife and world-class restaurants.

Elena Camps is drawn to the art, specifically the street art.

"It’s not a job to me. It’s a way of expressing and a way of making something beautiful that everyone can see," the Venezuelan native said. "It’s available. You don’t have to go and pay in a museum. You can make the city beautiful. You can make someone happy."

Camps, who puts together photo shoots and social media campaigns for Williams' trendy EleVen athletic clothing brand, is also one of a number of artists who have found their creative outlet in the brick and mortar canvases of storefronts and warehouses around the Magic City.

The emergence of street art in Miami was formalized in 2009 with the advent of Miami's Wynwood Walls, a project of the late Tony Goldman, who is remembered as a community revitalizer and placemaker by the Wynwood Walls website. Now, there are dozens of painted murals around the city.

"He was looking for something big to transform the warehouse district of Wynwood, and he arrived at a simple idea: 'Wynwood’s large stock of warehouse buildings, all with no windows, would be my giant canvases to bring to them the greatest street art ever seen in one place," according to the website.

On weekends, you can find Camps and other street artists pursuing their passion atop scaffolding . They spread their art in the hippest Miami spots, not just Wynwood, but all around the city.

Camps recently designed a striking jaguar and flower mural for the Tarbay jewelry line along Brickell City Center at 630 S. Miami Avenue as well as a mural that featured two flamingos with exaggerated necks to form a whimsical heart.

"That one, I think it got painted over because they moved," Camps recalled. "It’s a really big wall. We painted it pink. I did two flamingos almost kissing each other. It was really cool."

She contributed her time and creativity but the businesses paid for her paint and supplies.

"To me, it’s about the experience. I love a blank canvas," she said. "I enjoy, I think more than anyone else. Like to me, I’m thankful. If someone tells me 'hey do you want to paint' and I’m like 'yeah. It’s part of beautifying and expressing what I have in my mind and in my head.'"

A former principal of the Venezuelan-based multi-media firm Pilot, Camps previously designed a line of handbags and swimsuits that were sold throughout Latin America.

With a master’s degree in art direction, she developed a following for her whimsical textile creations that are equal parts fresh, modern and sometimes a little bit tropical. Her art is influenced by her Venezuelan roots as well as her life experiences in Spain and Miami — from the art Deco buildings in South Beach to the kiss of Gaudi in Barcelona.

There's no denying the special appeal of street art at this stage in her career.

"My favorite thing to paint? Tropical themes. I love foliage. I love nature, everything that reminds me of Miami," she said. "It’s a lot of pink and green, and leaves and art Deco. The mix of that, I really love."

Camps will represent Venus' brand next month at the Miami Open, where EleVen will be one of the featured clothing lines.

"Our newest collection is going to launch at the end of this month," she said. "It has some really cool pieces like a golden windbreaker with our logo. It’s really, really cool."

She is also working on a secret project with Williams, whom she describes as wise beyond her 39 years as well as a mentor.

"It’s going to be really fun. It’s a really, really cool project that will be out in May," Camps shared. "I cannot say anything, but it’s going to be amazing. You have to keep up with her on her Instagram and on our social, because it’s going to be really cool."

Visit www.elenacamps.com for more on her projects.