Leanne “Elrod” Rodriguez is the high priestess of Mexakitsch, the reigning queen of retro-relief, and the first person to be brave enough to ask, “What if I turned Jell-O and deviled eggs into fine art??”.
Born with a glue gun in one hand and a copper gelatin mold in the other (allegedly), Elrod has carved out a surreal, nostalgic universe that fuses her Mexican heritage, 1960s kitsch, and an unapologetic sense of whimsy. Her signature food sculptures and infamous deviled egg clocks have become cultural icons—so iconic, in fact, that they’ve been copied more times than a mid-century casserole recipe passed around the neighborhood potluck. But make no mistake: Elrod is the originator, the innovator, the blueprint. While the imitators trace, she creates.
Her work went cosmically viral when none other than Pee-wee Herman shared her creations online in February of 2021, causing the internet to erupt like a fruit gelatin mold that was never properly set. Overnight, Elrod’s sculptures rocketed through cyberspace, delighting nostalgic aunties, art critics, and extremely kitschy art collectors.
Over the course of her shimmering career, Elrod has been featured in countless publications, including more magazines, blogs, and art journals than she’s able to remember (they’re actually listed on my CV page). She has exhibited in over one hundred art shows, from tiny galleries to major museum exhibitions and everywhere in between. She is even [proudly] an award-winning table setter and aspiring author.
With a practice rooted in humor, cultural memory, craftsmanship, and the gleeful absurdity of everyday objects, Leanne “Elrod” Rodriguez continues to reshape the landscape of contemporary kitsch. Her pieces are not just art—they’re portals into an alternate timeline where mid-century glamour reigns eternal and where everything is a little tacky.
