...oil paint, works on paper, historical memorabilia, cord, glass, beads, shell, wire, leather, old metal findings, textiles, wood ...
The materials Ellen chooses for her work speak to her love of texture, attention to detail, connection to color, affinity with nature and her ongoing penchant to join together unlikely objects as if they were meant to be aligned. She writes:
“I am connected to elements, markings and thread where and when complications
may arise. The repetition of wrapping, marking or stitching is meditative. It brings
me into the present moment of preserving something, defining a space or
moment…saying “Yes, I am here."
History, story, myth, memorabilia, geography, domestic ephemera, or a scrap of fabric might be the inspiration for a painting, sculpture, collage, or one of the handmade sacred bundles she incorporates in many of her mixed media works.
Ellen is a native third-generation New Yorker. Her grandparents met in Greenwich Village. Raised in Queens, her father George Devens graduated from the High School of Music & Art. He was a National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences award recipient and a renowned studio percussionist with an enormous discography. https://www.local802afm.org/allegro/articles/george-devens/. Her mother Scottie, a writer, marketing executive, and animal activist was responsible for passing legislation that banned greyhound dog racing from New Hampshire and Vermont.
Ellen graduated from City University New York Queens, cum laude, with a degree in Education and has credits towards her Masters. She taught art in NYC. Her teaching took her into the corporate world where as an executive, she established Marketing and Training Development programs for Fortune 500 firms.
Artwork has been the most consistent aspect of her life. Ellen studied at The Arts Students League, privately, and at the 92nd St Y. She's taught mixed media classes for seniors in the outreach program Project Open. Weekly classes focus on personal and seasonal projects. Her art work has been used for covers for book publishers, fashion shoots, and advertising campaigns. Her love of textiles and vintage elements supported her work as a jewelry designer for museums and the United Nations.
Ellen is a juried member of the prestigious Textile Study Group of New York and her work has been exhibited in galleries from Chelsea NYC to Seoul, South Korea.
In addition to her artwork, Ellen is passionate about being a mom, the environment and democracy. She is a trained cook, loves museums, the beach, and is an award winning and active licensed real estate broker in NYC. Ellen resides on the Upper West Side with her teenage daughter and their sweet Yorkshire terrier. She swims at the Y twice a week and walks all over Manhattan.