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ResidenceOlympia, WA, USA Place of BirthRockville, CT, USA Personal StatementCollage - Ever since the cubists began splicing newspaper images into their compositions, collage has been a recognized medium for expression. The basic meaning of "collage,” comes from the French “coller”, meaning "to glue or stick". With today’s bountiful materials I find there are many mixed media techniques that can be incorporated into collage but I work at a simple approach. I incorporate circles and squares using various papers, embossed metal and a variety of ways to connect parts such as brads, wire, thread and more in a one third to two thirds layout. Work in my new series exhibits my fully realized process of connecting mind, body, spirit and heart. In addition, the Zen concepts of balance and harmony found in my Sumi-e painting form a delicate relationship between the various surfaces in my pieces. Inspired by the seasonal palette of the Pacific Northwest, I find the act of expressing myself through collage to be renewing and healing experience. Sumi-e - I have long been fascinated with Eastern art, so it’s not surprising that a friend’s gift of a book on Japanese brush-painting, brushes, paper and ink inspired me to experiment with Sumi-e. I was excited and surprised to find an art form that combined humor and joy with serious spiritual and philosophical meaning. The simple forms traditionally created with black ink on white paper fascinate me. My progress was slow while I was raising my children, but in 2002 I took my first sumi-e class, The Zen of Painting, with Fumiko Kimura. When she asked me how long I had been painting sumi-e, I knew that I had found my natural niche. I felt totally at one with my medium from that very first class. In order to achieve the Zen simplicity, I have to fully connect with the subject to understand its true nature, which expresses my love of the natural world. The earthy scent of ink and the brush contacting the rice paper engages all of my senses as my brush spontaneously manifests the subject’s spirit. Watercolor Pencils - It’s important to me to capture the delicate ecological balance of my subjects in their environment. Working from my digital or photographic images garnered from various locations such as local parks, waterfront, wooded areas or even my back yard, I prefer the control and convenience of water soluble colored pencil (watercolor-based, oil-based and/or wax based) pigments on a hot press archival Bristol paper or board. I love the intimacy of a delicate botanical study - selecting forest floor microcosms from the abundant flora and fauna around. Keeping the sumi-e training in mind, my landscapes are simplified paintings that leave a lot of white space. The focal point includes wild life such as geese, ducks or a heron. All my work revolves around Zen sumi-e concepts of capturing spirit to paper. BiographyEllen Miffitt brings over thirty years of artistic experience in the arts to her personal expression and art instruction. Growing up in rural Connecticut kept her close to the earth and nature. When ten years old, “paint by number” kit for a Christmas present started her art career. By mixing the paint and straying outside of the lines, she made that numbered canvas her own. While in high school she was encouraged by an aunt who dabbled in the arts to pursue developing her talent. After moving to the Pacific Northwest, she started painting sumi-e in January of 2002 with Fumiko Kimura and registered “Nine Lives Studio” in Oct of 2002. “As an artist I am constantly involved with that process of transformation: spirit to image on paper, mixing papers to create new textures, combining a variety of papers to create collage. The idea of mixing and blending different materials is exciting and a natural extension of sumi for me. Embossing metal to create texture, modeling Precious Metal Clay to make jewelry and exploring other media are an outlet for my creativity.” Ellen received a BS (Art/Art Education) from Southern Connecticut State College and a MS (Art/Art Education) from Central Connecticut State College. Experienced in preparation and presentation of age appropriate activities, her lessons are designed to promote growth, develop new skills and build positive reinforcement in a safe and supportive environment. Currently her art classes for preschool age children to adults are presented locally in the South Puget Sound area at South Puget Sound Community College Community Education, The Evergreen State College Extended Education Program, Tacoma Community College Personal Enrichment Program, Olympia Parks and Recreation, and other venues. Ellen is a past President of the Olympia Art League, served as Chairperson of the 2006 and 2007 Capitol City Visual Arts Exhibit and was Secretary for the Puget Sound Sumi Artists from 2005 to 2007. She is active in promoting the arts and sharing her artistic ability in her community. Contact InformationEllen Miffitt Nine Lives Studio PO Box 11133 Olympia WA 98508-1133 360-570-1959 www.nine-lives-studio.com RepresentationBox Heart Expressions, 4523 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA Mystic Mocha Café Exhibit, 402 E 26th Street, Tacoma, WA Rhapsody in Bloom Florist & Cafe Latte, 3709 6th Ave, Tacoma, WA 98406 (253) 761-7673 www.rhapsodyinbloomflorist.com Seven Muses, 1127 Broadway Plaza, Tacoma, WA 98402 253.471.4336 www.thesevenmuses.com Shop the Frontier - A non-profit rural marketplace www.shopthefrontier.com The Gallery – Bainbridge Arts & Crafts, 151 Winslow Way East, Bainbridge Island, WA www.bainbridgeartsandcrafts.org White Dove Gallery, 5934 88th Street SW, Lakewood, WA Artist's Websitewww.nine-lives-studio.com Links to buy workPosted by Ellen Miffitt | September 14, 2008 - 7:05pm
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