Career
Born in Russia, he served as an officer in the Imperial Russian Army, and may have been a student at the Saint St. Petersburg Academy. He arrived in Seattle in 1923 where he was described as a "straight pictorialist". His art was commissioned by the Works Progress Administration"s Federal Art Project, where he worked with Mark Tobey, Helmi Juvonen, and others
He also provided services to the United States. Treasury Department"s Section of Painting and Sculpture.
Elshin socialized with other artists at the Chinese Art Club.
