Meet Ella McElroy, local 8-year-old artist

Meet Ella McElroy

Ella, 8, is from Waxhaw and is a third-grader at Charlotte Latin School. And she loves to paint.

She has been painting at an easel since she was 2, and took her first art class at 3. Her favorite media are pastels and acrylics.

Her latest painting, "Ella's Hawk," was recently chosen as one of the 10 best in her age division in a contest sponsored by celebratingart.com, said family friend Andrea Cooper. It also won first place in an all-school fine art competition at Charlotte Latin.

These weren't Ella's first accolades: One or her paintings was displayed at the Mint Museum when she was six, Cooper said, and it was later in an exhibit, "Celebration of Young Artists," in Italy.

Ella finds inspiration in animals, and she hopes to raise awareness and funds for wildlife conservation by painting endangered animals. She also loves horseback riding and competes as a member of the South Charlotte Equine Circuit.