Rising Stars: Meet Ellen Sherman of Ann Arbor

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ellen Sherman

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been a maker of some sort. Growing up I had a pencil in one hand and a paintbrush in the other and was always drawing, painting, and making sculptures out of anything I could find out in the world. I was very lucky to have parents who supported and encouraged my creative pursuits, and celebrated with me when I decided I would go to school for art.
I received my BFA in Studio Art from Michigan State University in 2008, and then spent the next 9 years living in Miami, working and painting by the water.
In 2011 I decided to transition from my day job as an artist for a mobile game company to a full time painter. I sold work on my website and through social media, and managed to find myself a lovely little community online. The early days of social media were instrumental in locating interested galleries, art groups and collectors that were excited about my work.
In the winter of 2017 I moved back to Michigan with my husband and found myself a little studio and gallery space to work out of, allowing me to expand and take on bigger projects.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think if the road was entirely smooth, I’m probably not doing my job right. I’m not taking enough risks, or not getting out of my comfort zone, and definitely not learning. And I know that would show up in my work. So I try to remind myself that I am grateful for a challenge, it encourages growth; obstacles require creative thinking to find a new path forward.
I think I will always wrestle with the business side of my career. I just want to be locked away in the studio, covered in paint and making things that excite me. Not doing bookkeeping, inventory or marketing plans. But, those things are what keep this ship afloat so I’ve learned to find some fun in it over the years. (But I’d still rather be playing with paint.)

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My current work is an ever-evolving exploration into the meeting of moments planned and unplanned. It’s what happens in the in-between that excites me. I use paintings I’ve already made (either old work, or specific pieces made for this process) and cut them apart, reassembling the pieces into something new. Sometimes this means the paintings are scrambled with others (some 10+ years old) other times one painting is reformed only with it’s own parts. The reassembly is my favorite part. It’s equal parts color theory and meditation, and spontaneous jazz-like movements that change the entire piece.
I’ve started incorporating the use of a jigsaw into my process, I assemble pieces on a wood panel and then remove the negative space, this pushes the work more into the realm of the sculptural. Also power tools are just so much fun.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
The most tactical lesson I have learned is the importance of organization: A calendar with exhibition dates, proposal deadlines, project breakdowns and notes, an archival system that allows me to track where my work is being shown and what has sold, inventory management… everything falls apart rather quickly if I can’t find my packing tape.

A slightly less tangible lesson I’ve learned is to trust myself and the work. It’s hard out there sometimes, but when your soul really wants to say something you’ve got to tune in and listen and let it speak. Trust that the work is worth making. It doesn’t need to be for sale or even shared with anyone, it could be a stepping stone to something else – but trust the impulse to create.
Also.
Wash your brushes.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ehsherman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ellen_the_lemon/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ehsherman