Biography

Ellie Landesman, a native of St. Louis who now lives in Boca Raton, claims she was the only child who never had a single picture hung on the school walls during her eight years in grammar school! So for the next 60-plus years, drawing and painting were not among Ellie's major activities. Instead, Ellie immersed herself in living life fully and creatively – creating a multifaceted life amidst avant garde artists, poets, musicians, and writers. From the age of 40 until 60, Ellie lived in the country where she and her late husband, Gene, established Morning Glory, a yoga retreat center. Ellie has a passion for the outdoors, loves designing gardens, arranging flowers and is an adventurous worldwide traveler.

In 1996, Ellie wondered aloud, “What would it be like to see like an artist sees?” That week she received an invitation in the mail from Jeanne Appel that said, “Would you like to see like an artist sees?” Ellie took that as an omen and began her journey of painting. Her teachers include Jeanne Appel, Lynn Stender, and Larry Dubitsky. Today, Ellie wakes up eager to paint the world around her, from beautiful beaches to original still lifes, from close-up portraits of flowers to imaginative paintings of wildlife and fantasy land and seascapes. Ellie's friends and family are the grateful beneficiaries of her many hand-painted cards, calendars, and illustrated short stories.

Through this first show of her own – Artfelt Expressions – Ellie hopes to inspire everyone to try painting and expressing themselves artistically. Her message is straightforward: "If I can do this, so can you." Plus, she says, "painting adds a lot of fun and relaxation to your life!"