Celebrating those who share their creative hands, heart, and head to bring us a bit more joy.

Ellen Levenhagen:

 Artist Statement

I began my career as a studio potter in Chicago doing art fairs. Soon my husband and I moved to a farm in Wisconsin. Moving from the city to the country was a revelation. Inspired by nature, gardening, and the wildflowers blooming in our woods, suddenly all my pots had flower motifs. I was also inspired by Betty Woodman’s pottery and the Italian Majolica style of using a white based glaze on Earthenware clay with the expressive use of colors brushed on functional pottery. This technique drove me to years of learning how to manage the complexities of decorative pottery. But then other opportunities led us into careers teaching in international schools and my pottery took on other inspirations. Decorative motifs found throughout Asia such as batik patterns, Japanese prints, and Chinese scrolls inspired new ideas. Now back in Wisconsin, my husband and I own a pottery studio and gallery in Algoma. I give lots of pottery classes and try to balance inspiring others to make pots while developing my own ceramic works. I hope the visual connections to nature and culture enhance the simple function of pottery.

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while you look at the art.

What Ellen is known for:  handpainted colorful flowers on pottery

VIEW AVAILABLE ARTWORK HERE

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