Ellen Richman American, b. 1964

Ellen Richman has always been a creator. Growing up in a creative family, Ellen’s artistic beginnings were nurtured with frequent visits to the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis and afternoons filled with art making. Her family trips to Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco always included museum visits, where she discovered the art of Alexander Calder, Ellsworth Kelly, Frank Stella and Sol Lewitt. Born in Minneapolis in the 1960s, Ellen was largely influenced by the graphics of the 1970s and mid-century design. She attended the University of Minnesota to study Fine Art, which was an obvious extension of her artistic education and a turning point for her pursuits. Ellen began her studies in the Sculpture Department, but her affinity for painting was quickly discovered. After completing her BFA in Painting, she continued her color studies in the Mexican Yucatan, where her paintings were informed by the full spectrum of Carribean light. Subsequently, color became the singular defining element in her work. “Every painting is an unknown waiting to be discovered,” she says. Ellen’s work employs a reductive form of abstraction which emphasizes the plasticity and two dimensionality of painting. She builds a painting one color and form at a time; each move informs the next. ”There is a mathematical equation to hue which determines how the colors and forms work together.” Her compositions explore the language of color, value and chromatic divergence. Each palette is completely unique, mixed from only black, white, red, yellow and blue. Informed by geometric and organic patterns, she explores how the interaction of color affects mood, emotion and the subconscious mind. Her intent is to create an effective, minimally structured image of unencumbered space. “There is a universal truth in the rightness of forms. One can see and feel when the equilibrium is not working and when it feels right.” Ellen uses her sharp instinct and sophisticated sense of balance to bring each work to resolution. “The painting is done when everything works as a whole.” This makes it sound quite simple, but the distillation process is extremely complex. What interests her is how this universal language continues to unfold in her artistic practice.

Over the past 25 years, Ellen has enjoyed an extensive exhibition history showing her work across the US and abroad. In Minnesota, she developed an Abstract Painting program based on her Formalist ideas at the Minnetonka Center for the Arts. She juried, curated and produced annual abstract exhibits from 2006-2019. Her commissions include works for Northmarq Capital, the Westin Hotel, Indianapolis, IN and many private collections. Recently, she designed artistic rugs for BOCCARA Art in Paris. Ellen’s work is featured in many prestigious corporate collections such as Deloitte, Phillips Beverage Company, Boston Scientific, the Bentson Foundation, among many others.