About

We are Elena & Genu, the artists behind ElenaBerlo™ and OnceUponaPaper™ —a husband-and-wife studio devoted to custom artwork that honors family, tradition-and-modernity.

Our work lives at the intersection of fine art and personal narrative. Over the years, we have focused our practice on a select group of meaningful forms—family trees, ketubot, and blessings—approaching each as both a work of art and a document of significance. What began as individual commissions has grown, organically and thoughtfully, into a body of work shaped by trust, collaboration, and attention to detail.

We want to thank everyone who put their faith in our artistic heart and hands. It is with your support our journey into customized artwork was made possible, leading to the incredible joy of making art together as a profession. 
We took small steps in giving our paintings a niche purpose, each one specially requested by a new couple. And it all grew organically as we came to understand that capturing life’s precious moments in art helps us make sense of our presence and connects us to the past, present and future, and to beautiful new people.

Each piece begins as a hand-drawn sketch. We think and feel visually—through drawing and painting. Every stage is human, from the first idea to the handcrafted final piece. This remains central to our process. Even as the final work takes different mediums, the presence of the hand—of brush, texture, and composition—continues to guide everything we create. Most of our production is done in-house, allowing us to maintain consistency and care at every stage. We use museum-quality materials, chosen to ensure that each work endures both physically and sentimentally.


 

 
 
Elena Berlo is a full-time painter whose work is informed by both fine art and architectural training. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the University of Bucharest and continued her studies at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Her background includes professional experience in architecture, which continues to influence her sense of structure, composition, and detail in painting.
www.elenaberlo.com
 

Genu Berlo leads the conceptual development and production within the studio. His work bridges structured thinking and artistic practice, with a background spanning Mathematics, Architecture, and continuing studies in fine arts at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. Prior to co-founding the studio, he worked with leading architectural firms, including Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM). His role brings cohesion to each project, from initial idea to final execution.
www.berlo.net