Artist's Biography
A Life's Art Journey
Ellen Frances Reece
I am a life-long artist who was born in Rhode Island and spent my childhood in the lovely Hudson River Valley in Upstate New York. While in my teens, my family moved to North Carolina; I’ve been here ever since. My college degrees are in engineering and education, and I have worked in both those areas. But as happy as those roles were, they did not satisfy my urge to create art. So in recent years, I’ve devoted myself to painting. I have taken many courses and workshops at the Sawtooth Center for Visual Art. Since 2017, I have seriously studied oil painting with Viktoria Majestic. My goal is to be an accomplished representational painter, whose work is both impressionistic and painterly.
The beauty of nature speaks to me, so I try to capture the emotion both in the studio and "en plein air." Subjects include portraits, still life, and landscapes. The play of light and shadow are endlessly intriguing to me.
My art has been recognized both regionally and state wide. My work has been in contests and exhibitions.
Featured artist in the Artist Spotlight 2021; paintings displayed in the Arts Council Arboreal Gallery, Milton Rhodes Center, Winston-Salem, NC.
Paintings have been exhibited in the North Carolina Legislative Building, Raleigh, NC., and in the
Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, NC.
Won Best in Show regionally and went on to place First Place in the State of North Carolina in a contest sponsored by the NC Woman's Club.
Paintings have been accepted in many juried shows, including the 41st Northwest Artist's Juried Exhibit.
Works have been exhibited at the Milton Rhodes Center, the Yadkin Arts Council Red Wall and Welborn Gallery, and in the
Sawtooth Selects Exhibition.
I was a featured artist in the Second Spring Arts Exhibit.
Current Art Memberships
Carolina Painters Guild
Associated Artists of Winston-Salem
Yadkin Arts Council – Visual Arts Group
Wilkes Art Gallery