Ellen, a self-taught artist, always felt the need to express herself artistically. Having two great grandmothers
who were artists (E. Firth Rollf and Lamonta Richardson) and well known in the Richmond area made sense to
her to be the one in the family who felt drawn to art. At first, Ellen was interested in collage making, which
turned into working with clay and then experimenting with textures and color using various papers and pastels.
Ellen really didn't begin painting until a friend bought her a box of oil paintings for Christmas one year. Not
knowing anything about oil paints, let alone painting, she just jumped right in. Soon she found out she didn't
have the patience for oils. That's when her exploration with acrylics and regular house paint began.
Ellen's pieces are one of a kind. Her current works of art include geometric/spontaneous acrylic paintings,
matt board sculptures and plaster paintings. When in a creative block, Ellen works with clay, either throwing
on the wheel or rolling out slabs. Some pieces turn into vases while others become one of a kind table
sculptures. Ellen has donated works of art to the Wernle Children's art Auction and exhibited some of her
work at I.U. East while pursuing her Bachelor's degree.
Ellen and her husband, Chad,
live in Richmond, IN with their newborn son, Rhys.
