Chicago artist Elena Gatti designs merchandise for rockstars like Harry Styles

CHICAGO -- As a child growing up in Chicago's Sauganash neighborhood, Elena Gatti leaned into art after struggling with words and numbers because of dyslexia. Now, at 26, Gatti has designed tour merchandise and posters for Harry Styles and indie bands Mt. Joy and Maggie Rogers.

"Seeing the 'Love On Tour' merch come to life was the most surreal thing," said Gatti, speaking about her design work for Harry Styles' last major tour. "It was the craziest feeling just walking down the street and seeing someone wearing something that I made."

Gatti's art business, known as Fiorenza Art, is characterized by colorful, whimsical pieces featuring animals, especially rabbits. Her folksy style caught the attention of Harry Styles, who emblazoned it on T-shirts, sweatshirts and tote bags for his tour.

"In terms of art, how I describe it is basically my own little world," Gatti said. "A lot of what makes this little world are things that make me happy, and animals."

Fiorenza Art, inspired by Gatti's Italian middle name, started on Instagram during her senior year at University of Illinois. There, she rediscovered her love of making art, and committed to share her work frequently on Instagram for fun. After graduating and starting a career in advertising, Gatti began selling art and prints and taking on design collaborations while promoting her work on social media.

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"I started sharing my work on Instagram, and I made a challenge to share art every single day," Gatti said. "That drive to make something every single day after my 9-to-5 was ultimately what fueled this side-hustle to become my full-time job."

Much of Gatti's drawings and paintings of animal figures are paired with words and phrases, which she challenges herself to do because of her dyslexia.

"Even though it was really hard in the past, I'm grateful for it now," Gatti said. "Dyslexia has been a big inspiration for my work today."

Along with designs for bands, Gatti's art can be found on smartphone cases through Castify and on socks and other apparel through Stance. She said her Italian American background can't help but be ingrained into her work.

"I feel like my Italian heritage has been such a part of my childhood," Gatti said. "I think that is what bled into my work and started subconsciously inspiring a lot of my pieces."

Gatti expressed gratitude for her parents for encouraging her artistic impulses early on and for her partner, John, for his support in helping her build her business. She described her career as a full-time artist as "the greatest gift ever."

"I'm just super focused on saying 'yes' to as many opportunities as I can," Gatti said. "I'm so grateful that I get to call this my job."

For more information about Elena Gatti, visit fiorenzaart.com and follow her on Instagram @fiorenza_art.