Small commonplace objects, fruits, flowers and stones are imbued with spirituality and depicted in simple, bold compositions, which assume monumentality.The images portrayed represent universal symbols of intimacy, sharing, abundance, fertility and dreams. Light is used to create the ethereal quality and the clear, colourful palette represents the life force.The fruits and flowers are a celebration of life. The pictures exude beauty, serenity, and warmth and create a healing atmosphere for the viewer.
By Amanda Ellis
One of the characteristics of good art is that it points beyond its overt subject to qualities which cannot be defined in words. On the surface these are drawings derived from flowers, seeds, fruit, genitalia and fetuses. But they go way beyond this. They are abstraction and modification of their visual beginning and they are distilled to indicate qualities of ripeness, fertility and sexuality. And it is a curiously sweet and gentle quality they evoke rather than the gynecological nightmare that is the obvious trap for this sort of content. The large colour pastel drawings have a sensual lushness which is visually very satisfying. Their gestural strokes are beautifully countered by cuts in the surfaces. On a smaller scale the Rosebud series has a meticulous, dainty character. Some of these little drawings in ballpoint have pencil crayon additions which give them the quality of carefully coloured etchings. The humble ballpoint pen is a versatile tool here. Although indicating parallels with Georgia O’Keefe may still be premature, many are bound to suggest connections between Ellis and the great American Painter, especially of their shared content and poetic presentation.
By Niall Kramer
Her drawings, collages, pastels and mixed media works are entirely nature-orientated – in a broad sense. First impressions are of fruits, vegetables, seed-pods and suchlike. But all is not what it seems. A second look reveals some surprising additions and alterations to nature’s species. Some forms sprout human-like hair and other protuberances, fruits and mutant forms take on female genitalia characteristics, and a cactus (more predictably) exhibits priapic tendencies. But let me say right away there is clearly no salacious or shock intent here. To the contrary. These are above all caring, nestling, enfolding forms mostly rendered with appropriate tenderness. They function to draw attention to things like reproduction, birth, and growth in the sense of participation of all nature’s nurturers. Hence the cross-species orientation.
By Benita Munitz