Deborah Ellis effortlessly manipulates watercolor in her striking expressions of nature.
Her paintings extend beyond realistic renditions, imparting an atmospheric quality as
rich, watery hues meld into impressive scenes. Washes of green pigment and rich blue
hues ebb and flow on her crisp white paper, forming serene ponds and blooming
flowers. With an adept hand and observant eye, she paints a quiet moment, capturing
life around her. She states “the indirect view – memory and refraction – coalesces for
me in ponds and sea, clouds, ice, glass, windows. Trees (solid and textured) and water
(ephemeral and textured) are a large part of my subject matter. Watercolor, with its
possibilities of hovering, layered washes, continues to fascinate me as my medium.”
Ellis received her Bachelor of Arts in Art History at Radcliffe College. She lives in
Alexandria, Virginia, where she has taught at The Art League since 1989. Her work is
included in the collections of Markel Corporation, Reed Smith, Medical College of
Virginia, McGuire Woods, Sheltering Arms, University of Virginia School of Law,
University of Richmond, Ethyl Corporation, and CSX Corporation, among others.
