Robert M. Ellis 1922-2014
An American artist born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1922, Robert M. Ellis was an influential artist, educator and museum director. His professional career spanned six decades. Throughout his long and exceptional career, Ellis never stopped creating and exhibiting his own art.
From 1942 to 1946 Ellis served as a naval officer in WWII. Along with many from his generation, he took advantage of the G.I. Bill and graduated from the Cleveland Art Institute. Influenced by the Mexican figurative artists Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros, Ellis traveled to Mexico and received a BA at Mexico City College, Mexico City.
In the 1950s Ellis moved to the Los Angeles area and received an MFA from the University of Southern California, where he also taught. From 1956 to 1964 Ellis served as Curator of Education at the Pasadena Art Museum during a time when the museum was playing a pivotal role in establishing Southern California’s reputation as a major contemporary art center. Ellis was skilled in the graphic arts and designed all of the museum’s graphics. His love for small presses and typesetting influenced his artwork, particularly in his “Letter in the Landscape Series” produced in the 1960s. An exhibition of paintings created during a year in Paris (1960-61) was presented at the Pasadena Art Museum, fall 1961. In 1964 Ellis began his career with the University of New Mexico’s art department and moved to Albuquerque NM. Ellis retired from UNM in the 80s before assuming a position at the Harwood Museum in Toas. Ellis was Director of the museum for ten years .
After his retirement. Ellis embarked on an Aegean cruise in 2003 which led to an astonishing series of abstractions influenced by the marble columns of Greek architecture, sacred Aegean Temples and the Mediterranean palette. The series of paintings and prints created after this journey comprise the bulk of the last series by Robert M. Ellis. They have been well received and exhibited.
Robert M. Ellis passed away on September 13, 2014
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MexicanFigurines
Vinyl crystals on masonite, 24” x 32.75” unframed, 1950
On the Beach
Vinyl crystals on Masonite, 24” x 27.75”, 1950
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As a child from the industrial Midwest, The Cleveland Art Museum became a lasting source of inspiration for Ellis. Aspects of cubism and futurism allowed Ellis to reconstruct carousel horses and medieval armor. The speed and movement of the early works in this series communicate a restlessness to fix an image in time. This idea was clarified later by Ellis’s connection with the poem, Chevaux de Bois, by Paul Verlaine. In the poem, horses turn around the carousel, never getting anywhere despite the fun and noise. Featured works from 1940s-2012, include pieces from his selftitled series: ‘The Merry Go Round (MGR),’ ‘Carousel’ and ‘The Endless Race.’
Carousel Horse Head
Conte crayon on paper, 17” x 14.5” unframed, 1949
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Photo Finish
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Vinyl on Masonite, 24” x 48” 1953
StudyforTourney
1952 7
Ink wash on paper, 19.25” x 34”,
Horses Head, Study (with armor)
Ink wash on paper, 18” x 11.75”, 1952
Endless Race Sketch
Vinyl on paper, 18” x 23.5,” 1950
Study for Tourney
Charcoal and pencil on paper, 19” x 25”, 1952
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Spacescape No. 31
Oil on white matboard, 10.5” x 13.5” unframed, c.1958
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After WWII, Ellis created abstract works iconic of the abstract expressionist movement coming out of New York from 1940-1960. This movement looked underneath personal memory, at the unconscious feelings, symbolism, and universal themes common to all humans. For Ellis, this manifested abstract landscapes from Europe, during WWII, and quickly commercialized California. Featured works are from 1950-1962, during his MFA, the beginning of his professional career in Pasadena, California, and residency in Paris. The predominant series of work from this time frame, we refer to as ‘The Man in Nature’ series.
Man in Nature No. 7
Oil on Linen, 30” x 48” , 1962
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Bridging#9
Oilon canvas,60” x 48” unframed, 1948
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Man in Nature No. 37
Casein on paper, 22.5” x 30.25” unframed , 1962
Man in Nature No. 19
Oil on paper, 13” x 10,” c. 1960
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Man in Nature No. 1
Oil on linen, 74” x 74”, 1961
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Tree Series No. 5
Oil on Linen, 76.75” x 76.75”, 1961
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In California, the visual predominance of billboards, type and commercial printing became his fascination. Ellis worked in and loved advertisement, graphic design and small press printing. Elements of his experience and training appear in his work from the late 60s- 70s. In the 60s, we call his predominant style the ‘Letter in Landscape’ series.
nn scape Lithograph, 20.75” x 14.75”
of
unframed,
15
edition
25,
1965
StudyforLuncheonontheGrass
Acrylic and charcoal on canvas with collage, 40” x 40” unframed, 1966
Game of Cards
Charcoal on vinyl collage, 43.25” x 28”
1965
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a over e scape Oilandcollageoncanvas,60”x72,”1963 a-scape Oilandcollageoncanvas,48”x60,”1963 17
se - scape
Oilpastel,collageonpaper,6.25”x9.5,”c.1963
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si-scape
Oil,collageonpaper,60”x72,”1962
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In the 70s Ellis’s work began to evolve with the visual influence of his then studio, located off Harvard near UNM. Ellis’s work retains the graphic nature expressed previously in the 60s with the ‘Man in Nature’ and ‘Letter in Landscape’ series. However, with the incorporation of more print making influence and mixed media elements, his work becomes more realistic and more whimsical. Objects from the studio, his memories and his interests are incorporated. Ellis began using a camera to capture current elements of his life and insert them into his work with photo giclee prints. He typically collaged these into his work, often working into the photo print with pastels, paint and chalks afterward.
UntitledImage
Oil and charcoal with photo linen collage on canvas, 46” x 35,” 1977
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Studio Bay, Rocker #2
Charcoal, oil and photo linen collage, 68” x 92,” 1976
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Still Life Series No. 11
Oil on photo linen, 47” x 60” 1978
StudioBay,Rocker#2
Charcoal, oil and photo linen collage, 68” x 92,” 1976
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Valdez Rim
Oil stick on paper, 30” x 44.25” 1986
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By the 1980s Ellis was frequenting
Northern New Mexico more regularly; a landscape he was quickly becoming enamored with while building a home there. Ellis was in awe of the majestic vistas, terrain and expanding skies that took in so many others before him. Ellis would paint, draw, and explore this fascination for close to 10 years before coming out of his brief retirement from UNM as the interim director of the Hardwood Museum in Toas. This position would become permanent for an additional 10 years.
View of Ranchos Church No. 4
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Charcoal on Paper, 24” x 40” 1984
Untitled View of Taos Mountain Oil and Pencil on Canvas, 46" x 36" 1988
RioGrandeGorgeNo.14
Monoprint, 30” x 22”, c.1980’s
Mondrian'sRedCloudoverTaosValley
Monoprint, 22” x 29.5,” 1995
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SanCristobalValley#1 Oil on canvas, 67” x 67” c. 1985 26
SanCristobalValley#17
Oil on canvas, 67” x 67”, 1981
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RioGrandeGorgeNo.16 Lithograph / Gray Paper, 22” x 30” edition of 40, 1982 28
ValdezValley#3 Aquatint, 23” x 23” editions of 25, 1988
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View of
El
Salto
Aquatint, 26” x 26” edition of 25, 1986
RioGrandeGorgeNo.16a
Oil stick on paper, 29.5” x 41.5”,1982
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View of Ranchos Church No. 3
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Monoprint and pastel on paper 26.25” x 26.25”, 1987
“Through these paintings all that has been lost might now be saved from the destruction of time” -John
Mulvany,
Introduction for the Aegean Reverie, Works from 2004-2012
The death of Ellis’s wife, Caroline Lee, took Ellis to Greece in her honor. We call the following series of work his ‘Aegean’ and ‘Post-Aegean’ series.
Ellis’s Aegean and Post Aegean series express balance in the visual perception of nature among man-made spaces from ancient times. Without an overarching plan, Ellis created work through simplified materials and geometric compositions. The light, airy arrangements of shapes on canvas correlate directly to the work of Piet Mondrian.
AegeanSeriesNo.13
Oil on canvas, 32” x 32,” 2004
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AegeanSeriesNo.14
Oil on Canvas, 30” x 30”, 2004
AegeanSeriesNo.28
Oil on canvas, 60” x 60”, 2004
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Oil on Canvas, 45” x 48,” 2008
Oil on Canvas, 36” x 30,” 2008 34
PostAegean08-28
PostAegeanSeriesNo.13
06-02 Oil on canvas, 24” x 30”, 2006 06-03 Oil on canvas, 36” x 36,” 2006 PostAegeanSeriesNo.34 Oil on Canvas, 22” x 30,” 2009 35
WoodcutCollageonCanvasNo.22
Woodcut collage on canvas, 17” x 17”, 2012
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By the late 2000s, approaching his 90s, Ellis’s drive to create work evolved the Aegean influence into his final series, integrating simplified art practices with wood block printing and assemblage of wood components. Inspired by the elements of his daily life.
WoodcutCollageonCanvasNo.21
Woodcut collage on canvas, 72” x 60” 2012
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Works on Wood No. 9
Painted wood lathe, 12” x 11.75,” 2010
Works on Wood No. 3
Painted wood lathe, 12” x 11.75,” 2010
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