Ellie’s Art Blog

Dec 7, 2022

I feel I should give a little explanation to the fine arts piece of my website since most people know me as a photographer. So here goes:

I’ve been a professional photographer since 2009 and I’ve always loved photographing people.

I had the immense privilege of growing up immersed in the arts at home and in my community. Watching my mother, a gifted watercolorist at work is one of my fondest childhood memories. She was a plein-air painter decades before it became a trend in the US.

Many years of expressing myself with a camera has helped me discover who I am and what I want to share with the world. And I’m grateful to the many people in my life who have encouraged, challenged and mentored me. Over the past ten years, I had an increasing longing to express myself with more freedom than a camera provides (more on that in a coming blog post).

And so, a few years ago, I began painting with oils and like photography, when I am painting, it feels like I am more wholly me. That’s not to say it’s easy at all or that I am accomplished but I suppose it feels like something I am wired for. I might even say that it feels like something I was made to do.

In 2022, I found a painting mentor in Saluda, NC artist, Jim Carson, AIS, OPA (That’s kind of like MD if you’re a doctor.) His workshops in Saluda, NC are fantastic. And I’ve asked him to come to Greenville to teach for 3 days in January 2023. You can learn more about that workshop, here.

A couple years ago, I traveled to a painting workshop in Tennessee for an amazing 5 days with artist, Anne Blair Brown. I loved every minute and I learned so much. When I returned home to Greenville, SC, I started asking, “ What if I could get my favorite artists to come to us in Greenville, SC?” I decided to give it a shot and in June 2022, artist, David Shevlino came to teach for 3 incredible days. I learned a lot about hosting a workshop and I had a wonderful group of participants who were very gracious with my learning curve and encouraged me to host more workshops. I have exciting workshops planned for 2023. To see the list, click here.

Just to clarify: While I am a photographer and a painting artist, I’m not teaching workshops. I am hosting art workshops. I’m bringing very accomplished artists from all over the world to Greenville, SC to share their approach with us. To see the list of upcoming workshops, click here.

I’m creating this page on my site for my art journey. I’ll be sharing what I’m learning in the art workshops that I’m hosting. And I’ll be sharing the art I am creating and sharing my thoughts on what I’m dreaming of creating.

If you’d like updates and first dibs on upcoming workshops, please sign up for my newsletter!