'UV colours penetrate the points of pleasure more than ordinary paints.' says Southampton-based party transformer Ela. An expert in turning dingy sweaty nightclub holes into exotic locations to fuel your fantasies, Ela and her partner Zeth have been "transforming" night clubs, outdoor parties and festivals for the last six years with their beautifully hand painted UV backdrops, sculptures and props.

It all began when Ela was put in charge of the "art stuff" for Emtheos - a techno trance party in a French monastery. She transformed everything from toilets to main room dance floors and became hooked on fluorescent paints and ultraviolet light. 'I started off getting excited by creating an interactive fluoro room. I made everything from sheer gossamer net and you had to run through the room with these fluoro rings - the ones people juggle with,' says Ela. 'I created a kind of alien landscape and gave whoever was involved a completely trippy feeling."

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A self-taught artist, Ela began earning a living doing trompe l'oeil paintings for client's living-rooms. Her conversion to full-time fluoro art came when she found a flyer on the floor for 'Escape from Samsara' - an offshoot of groundbreaking club Megatripolis. 'I thought that looks brilliant, so I rounded up a party of people from Southampton, blagged a stall to sell loads of different fluoro stuff and worked like hell for a few weeks to get it together.'

Her efforts impressed 'Escape From Samsara' promoters and, in true overnight sensation tradition, she was instantly invited to decorate the balcony for the club's regular slot at London's Fridge nightclub. From there Fluoro Heaven grew and was invited to transform other parties on the London techno trance scene, Pendragon and local Southampton parties - Chemical Beats, Eufluroia, Neurology and Ministry of SPAC.

Ela's designs are influenced by her interest in Buddhism, the organic world and the yin and yang of the universe. 'Many of my designs are very organic, lots of plants and flowers, and I try to create pieces balanced by masculine and feminine concepts,' she says. 'It has been known for years in Eastern philosophy that color vibrates the chakras, and certain colours react with parts of the eye.' 'Picture Mantras have always been used to enlighten the soul. Many people here will know them as Mandalas. It was common for people to have their own brightly coloured hand-painted mantra in their home at their doorway, symbolizing their own doorway of perception.'

'I believe that parties transformed can affect people very deeply. It relaxes them and helps them to let go unconsciously. The visual stimulation helps people to let go of their inhibitions." 'The amazing aspect of fluoro and UV is that the colours are intensified, and there is a whole spectrum that the eye cannot conciously see, but believe me, it is affecting you!'

Imogen Jones

All photos © Zeth Criddle

Fluoro Heaven can be contacted for transformation and commissions on 07990-822828.