In the U.S., she studied sculpture under Bruno Lucchesi & Ruth Nickelson at the National Academy of Design, New York (1980-81) and Luis Montoya at the Norton School of Art, West Palm Beach, Florida (1976-79).

Pavlakos is a figurative sculptor who works with wax and clay, her favorite media. She also works on stone, plaster and the contemporary plastic materials testing new materials and methods without abandoning her classical training.

The human figure is her vehicle of expression. There is a continuing thread of concern with human emotions running through most of her works that unites them. Dr. Patricia Archer, art historian and past curator of the Brevard Art Center and Museum wrote; “Sculpture in the hands of Ellen Pavlakos embodies in material form the vision of mankind’s highest ideals. There is a special link to the classical Greek, a positive feeling of the human experience, a glorification of life that communicates directly to the viewer. Always exploring and growing, Pavlakos’ work never fails to attract and communicate with us.”

Pavlakos’ sculptures are exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the State of Florida and has competed and exhibited in many national and international competitions. Her work in public places include the Girard College Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Space Education Center at Kennedy Space Center, Florida; the Chamber of Fine Arts in Nicosia, Cyprus; the Satellite Beach Library, Satellite Beach Florida; the Nature Reserve, Polk County, Florida; the City of Athens, Greece; the Central Brevard Library, Cocoa, Florida; the International Business Park Heathrow, Florida; the Titusville Social Service Center, Titusville, Florida.

Pavlakos and her husband Andrew live and work in Indialantic, Florida.