<body><div>Montclair is one of New Jersey’s premier communities and invites people with talent from all over the world to not just call it home, but truly feel at home. Artist Elly Otharsson was drawn to the architecture and aesthetic of Montclair and her designs reflect that. Read on to learn about Elly, her story, and how Montclair has inspired her passion to create maps and guides of local spots in Northern New Jersey + beyond.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3dytoy_0wF3n3ZJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3dytoy_0wF3n3ZJ00" width="1080" height="1080" ></figure>Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Elly Otharsson<h2>From Iceland to Montclair</h2>Travel and adventure are clearly in illustrator Elly Otharsson’s blood. Her father was born in Iceland and her mother was born in Honduras. Her mother immigrated to Connecticut where she met her father and the couple moved to Iceland, where Elly was born. When Elly was young, she moved to Fairfield, Connecticut where she grew up closely alongside her two sisters exploring the area’s green spaces and getting lost in the beauty of urban communities. When it came time for higher education, Elly found herself in Southern Pennsylvania at Gettysburg College where she earned a B.A. in Political Science and Government. For about a decade after college, Elly had a career in media, publishing, and tech with The Economist, Condé Nast, Wochit, and most recently Idomoo.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2ZtDKA_0wF3n3ZJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2ZtDKA_0wF3n3ZJ00" width="1080" height="1080" ></figure>Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Elly OtharssonWith a passion for exploration, Elly has wandered various American cities like Raleigh, Denver, Cincinnati, and Palm Springs and explored their communities, taking time to eat in their restaurants, shop from local vendors, and interact with the locals. After almost a decade of working, Elly felt burnt out and dissatisfied at her full-time job. In 2020 she received an iPad Pro for her birthday and dove into design using the Procreate app. By 2022, she decided to leave the tech industry and pursue her passion for design. Drawn to Montclair’s unique character and bustling neighborhoods, Elly settled in Northern New Jersey.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=3hByRt_0wF3n3ZJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=3hByRt_0wF3n3ZJ00" width="1634" height="1672" ></figure>Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Elly OtharssonUpper Montclair and Church Street are probably the most popular neighborhoods in Montclair, but for Elly, these spots come in second to Walnut Street. The area holds a bit of magic for Elly and was the first Montclairian neighborhood she truly explored. There was something just idyllic about it. She often went on evening walks with her husband and their dog Bear taking in the sites.In time, she met with Danielle Zinn, owner of Curated Home + Living, and learned about business community programs. Here is where the magic was born: Elly created a hand-drawn map of the Walnut Street area featuring businesses with custom icons. Her next project, a map for Upper Montclair, came a year later. Excited to work on local projects, Elly has collaborated with Experience Montclair in an effort to promote Montclair as a travel destination.<h2>Products + Services</h2><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=05ZVCM_0wF3n3ZJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=05ZVCM_0wF3n3ZJ00" width="1080" height="1080" ></figure>Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Elly OtharssonElly designs town postcards, stickers, walk + wander maps, museum + landmark guides, buttons, pins, stationery items, and more. Her Montclair portfolio features designs of the Eagle Rock Cafe, Anderson Park, The Corner, Montclair Orthodontics, Van Hook Cheese + Grocery, Ray’s Luncheonette, Egan + Sons, The George, Montclair Brewery, and many more locations. Other local stops Elly has designed include the Newark fire station and East Orange locations like East Orange City Hall and Brick Church. Her work is not just confined to North Jersey. Her portfolio also features Hudson, New York; Bethany Beach, Delaware; and London, England.<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=102tmV_0wF3n3ZJ00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=102tmV_0wF3n3ZJ00" width="800" height="800" ></figure>Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Elly OtharssonElly’s website currently has her “New York City in Pink” prints available and she is planning to add more designs to sell online. Salt Air(e) Collective located at 7 South Fullerton Avenue sells her prints. Elly loves selling goods in person and hopes to have a brick-and-mortar stationery store of her own one day. You may have missed her at the Walnut Street Fair on September 29th, but don’t fret, Elly will also be participating in NJ Food Fest at the Meadowlands Expo Center on October 26th, as well as the Montclair Flea at Lackawanna Station on November 30th, December 1st, 14th, and 15th.</div></body>

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This Montclair-Based Artist Designs Maps + Guides to Beloved New Jersey Spots

Montclair is one of New Jersey’s premier communities and invites people with talent from all over the world to not just call it home, but truly feel at home. Artist Elly Otharsson was drawn to the architecture and aesthetic of Montclair and her designs reflect that. Read on to learn about Elly, her story, and how Montclair has inspired her passion to create maps and guides of local spots in Northern New Jersey + beyond.