About Ellen . . . . Her Journey into Fine Art

 Ellen grew up with two positive influences in her life – Music and Art. With her mother’s brushes and paints she created her first picture when she was ten years old. Then early in school she discovered the joy of playing the piano and singing, which led her eventually to being the recipient of a music scholarship for college. After she was married to a young minister she developed her artistic talents learning to paint with pastels. She had a dream of combining her music and art. She traveled throughout the United States, including Hawaii, for over twenty years painting 30 x 40 inch pictures on a large easel before audiences, illustrating the Gospel songs which she sang.

During the Hawaii years she received new inspiration when she came to know the artist, Peter Hayward, who lectured about art in Honolulu. Ellen would watch him paint with a palette knife along the roadsides, near the mountains or the ocean waves. She was captivated with the magic that seemed to fly from his figures. It was then that she became serious about learning to paint with oils. She sold her early work near Waikiki Beach in Honolulu to tourists from all over the world.

Later, Ellen moved to the famous Napa Valley in Northern California. Here she painted the colorful vineyards and mountains of this charming valley. The coastline and also the famous redwood groves were delights of her painting excursions. Now she lives in Washington State where she is exploring the lakes, prairies and mountains of the great Northwest.

To Ellen, art remains a process of learning to see and translate her motif to canvass. She has studied extensively with many professional artists whose works speak to her soul. E. John Robinson helped her to “see” the ocean with its nuances of color.  Among others that she has studied with are Skip Whitcomb and Scott Christensen. Her growing library of books is authored by outstanding artists from history and the present. She has been greatly encouraged by the response of collectors to her solo and group shows and honored to receive Best of show, First place, and other ribbons. Her paintings have been seen in Art of California Magazine, and Art of the West Magazine. Ellen is a member of the Oil Painters of America, where she has been juried into numerous shows.

For years Ellen has had the exhilarating experience of painting on location. On each new canvass she translates the scenes with the rhythm and flow of song. They have a way of transporting the viewer into the depth of the scene, creating a beautiful dream that provides rest from the rush and bustle of life. One buyer expressed it this way—“Viewing Ellen’s paintings is like taking a vacation!”

(View Ellen’s Portfolio and see for yourself!)