Nature inspires artist Ellen Antonelli, founder and creator of Nelli Bag. She begins her designs by capturing iconic images of Bainbridge Island and Washington State, then reinterprets these images to create one-of-a-kind fabric for her handmade bags, wallets, totes, and duffle and travel bags.

The daughter of well-known Northwest painter and photographer Wayne Knapp from Whidbey Island, Antonelli grew up surrounded by the creative process. Her interest in sewing began as a preteen. At sixteen, she created a hand-sewn tailored suit, which won first place in Singer’s regional sewing contest.

When not sewing, Antonelli writes and paints. Her latest effort combines painting on photographic images of cityscapes and landscapes, then mounting the artwork onto handmade frames to create beautiful decorative canvases.