RayEl
n E
Introduce Ray Ellis'sname into a discussionabout art, and
the early 1970s, he left advertising to paint full time, and
you'll find conversationstypically go something like this,
bridged the Mason-Dixon line with galleries in both
"He's the artist who did the coastal book series with Valter Cronkite."
Vhlle
"No, hei not. Ellis is the artist who painted Christmas
(
cards for the Vhite
[l
Championship trophy for the Junior Colf Association."
House for three years."
"\il/rong. Ellis is the golf artist. He did the National
z I
Savannah and Martha's Vineyard.
"Nope. Ray E1lis paints fishing, beach, and sailing sceneson Martha's Vineyard."
his early paintings are realistic, Elliss later
paintings are impressionistic.His style is an intricate blend of Monet, Pleissner,Vyeth,
Hopper, and Winslow
Homer. Ellis has a knack for turning common, everyday events into celebrations. Viewers savor his beautiful sunrises and sunsets,moonlit sailing adventures,Derby fishing junkets, fairs, and parades. His style is energetic,
)
The fact is, Ray Ellis is all the above, and a lot more.
appreciative, and sensitive, no different than the way he
o
Ellis'swork covers a variety of mediums, spannrng a
lives his life. Look at any painting over time, and be it
t
seven-decadecareer."Both of my parents were artists,"he
a week, a month, or a year later, you will still notice the
(
says, "so I had a tremendous amount of encouragement
I F E
sketches, pen-and-ink draw-
(
He says he prefers to work with
E
watercolors, and oil is a top
from a young age." He has done
Coastal Surl
ings, charcoals, and sculptures.
favorite. "There is a sensuality to oil," Ellis says. Ellis's art school studies were interrupted by a four-year military tour with
the U.S. Coast Guard during \World Var II. Initially, he prowled the
Maine coast in an icebreaker and then was transferredto the South Pacific, where he saw 15 months of combat. He never returned to
art school, but
instead painted and sculpted while launching a successful 30-year advertising career. In
78 su,vvrn
T F A L L2 o o 7
www.capecodlite.com
lllri'
=
D T { l; I
t
o
Walk to Dropping the Jib v a r i o u s c l i n r c n s i o r - rSs t. u r l l t l i n g u 1 - r o ns u c h l r L r a n c c sa r e
I I
c 1 - r i p h ai er -sr, I i k c i i n d in g b L r rei d t r c a s u l c .
I
[I
"s.
C , e r 1(, . 1 ; v r u u . ro, w l r c r o f t h e C h a r l o t t c I n n i n l : c 1 g a r -
'1""
' r l l i ss i n c c 1 9 71 . " l h a v c b e c l r a l l a - 1U, l i 5 t r r v . n ,h a s k r r o u , r E
,- .
(
t
rr lJ
l a n s r n c c I s a r v h i s i i r s t 1 ' r i c c e (, -" o r r o v c rs a y , s".l c s t a b -
E
u , c l l o v c r a t h o u s a n col 1 l r i s p a i n t i n g so v c r t h e - v c a r s . " I n 2 0 0 1 L l l l i su ' r . , nt l r c S a l r . n a g r r n cCl i. l L r b 'N s l c c l a lo f H o n o r i o r I . i f et i n r e A c h i c v em e n t , a l s o b es t o r v c c Ll r p o n N o r n r a n l { o c k n , e l la n c ln r a n y o t l - r c rc c l c b r a t e da r t i s t s .T c r u , i n t h c a u , r r c l t, h c a r t i \ t n r u s tl r a v c p a i n t e d f o r n r o r c t h a n 'l 6 ( ) r ' e a r s .A t i i 6 , E l l i s p a i n t sc v e r v c l ; r v . u ' o r k a l ) ( ) L r tr i n e o r 1 0 h o r r l s a d a - vu ' i t h b r c a k s i n b c f u , e e n .A l t c r - s e v e n c l c c a d c sI s t i l l h a v e a l o t n r o r e t o l c a l r a n d a u , h o l c l o t n r o r c s u b i c c t st o p a i n t . " T o i rK r il.
Ellis's work
Edgartorvn Art Vneyard,
at
Callery
or on the Veb
both in
locatior.rs of
the
Eclgartown, Martha's
*
at rvww.rayellis.corn and
wrvw.edgartownartgallcry.com.His work also is shown at ftc;kh.,."
Ray Ellis Art Callery ancl Compass l)rints in Savarrrrah.
www.capccodlile.com
D
n
'+tt'
l i s h c d t l - r cl ; l l i s R o o n r i r r t h e C h a r l o t t c I n n a n d r v c ' v cs o l d
See Roy
: ,
COIJ
t.| t 79