Ellie Landsman, 24

Photo: Andrew Nawrocki

Milwaukee Avenue and Honore Street

What do you do? I work retail. I worked as a jeweler for four years. I made the necklace I’m wearing. It’s an antique Asian game piece that I found and drilled into. I’m starting an Etsy store in a couple weeks called Menos Es Más—less is more.

Where do you find supplies? I love estate sales. You can find so much cool stuff, like memorial jewelry, which is made from the hair of a dead person. I also split my time painting commission portraits.

What’s the last one you did? This guy wanted a portrait of two women, so I invited two of my friends to sleep over and I did a nude painting of them when they woke up in the morning. Shortly after I finished it, he moved in with his girlfriend and she was like, “Um….” She was a little weirded out by it. Most of the people I paint are naked. Clothes are easier to sell than to paint. My work tends to be a mix of realism and surrealism; I’m very interested in dreaming.

What’s a recent dream you had? I was treasure hunting in the Amazon and made friends of a bunch of Vikings. [Laughs] I have had the rare dream that has been a premonition. I predicted in a dream when my last cat would die. I also dreamt the last dinner I had with my grandfather.

Ever have anxiety dreams about work? I don’t. The day-to-day is anxious enough. Stores around here have a huge problem with shoplifters. When the door alarm beeps and you’re like, “Hey, what’s in your bag?” they might pick up a hanger and try to hit you in the face.