Alice Anne Ellis

Artist Statement

Drawing and painting flowers was my first art passion. In my teens, I actually wanted to be a botanical illustrator. It is still nature that makes me want to make art.

Whatever medium I’m using, I like the challenge of translating an idea or vision onto a surface. In the process, the idea or vision often gets entirely lost, so it becomes an adventure of discovery. I love being engaged in the physical process – the puzzle of which layer to put down first, and the surprises the medium always offers. So, depiction of nature has become just the starting point rather than the destination.

I usually work with mixed media (ink on paper, torn up and used in collage), or acrylic on panel. I use layers to distance myself from my intention, creating a more interesting journey within the piece. I am always excited to see residual evidence of physical process in a work.

Biography

Alice Anne Ellis is Scottish. She has been happy to make Richmond her home for many years.

With a degree in Philosophy from the University of St. Andrews, a Master’s in Library Science, and a lifelong love of drawing and painting, she pursued her art education at the University of Dundee, Virginia Commonwealth University, the VMFA Studio School and the Visual Arts Center.

She has had four solo exhibitions; her work has been in numerous juried and group shows and is included in private and corporate collections. 

She has been an Artist Member of Artspace since 2015 and was President of Artspace, 2021-2023.

aliceanneellis.com