Ellen Rolli Studio Tour
What a delight it was to drive down to the Melrose studio of gallery artist, Ellen Rolli, for a visit this spring! Ellen’s studio is full of vibrant color, joy, and personality - much like the paintings she creates there. It’s a happy place to spend a little extra time - Ellen has a fantastic collection of art books and it’s impossible not to be lifted up by all of the color bursting from her work hanging on the walls. Plus, Ellen speaks so eloquently about her work, that of others, and the journey she’s taken so far in life - you’ll easily leave feeling lighter and more inspired than when you arrived.
Ellen shares her downtown Melrose storefront and studio space with jeweler and artist, Lorrie DiCesare, whose work complements Ellen’s paintings perfectly. The space is filled with pleasant vignettes - all anchored by the energy and color of Ellen’s paintings.
Below, Ellen shares more about the path she’s taken as an artist of 35+ years, what inspires her work, and lots more. Read on for Ellen’s thoughtful answers to our questions about her work as an artist and catch glimpses of her delightful studio space filled with her signature Vessel & Floral paintings.
Tell us about how your work has evolved over the years.
Having been a committed painter now for 35+ years, I am able to look back and see that all of my experiences, both in my creative journey and in life, inform the work I am creating now. In my current, ongoing Vessel series, I see the influence of all that has come before: years of plein air painting and working from life, whether a still life or a live model, 10 years of abstract or non-objective painting, and then a return to figurative work in my contemporary still life paintings. As a studio painter now, I feel I have endless resources of inspiration and experiences that I intuitively tap into and that come through in each work I create.
What drives you to create?
Hmm…that is almost difficult to articulate! The desire to create has been with me since I was a young child. I knew at an early age that art would be a very important part of my life, so part of my genetic make-up, I suppose? An addiction, but a good one! Knowing that magic can happen in the studio, that I find joy there in the creative process…how could that not drive me?!
What currently inspires your art?
As an avid hiker and nature walker, colors and textures along the paths and trails, often inspire my work. Currently, as flowers of all kinds are blooming, that natural beauty informs and inspires my Vessel with Floral series, for sure!
Tell us about your relationship with your Aunt Eleanor, who encouraged you along the path of an artist.
My Aunt Eleanor, my mother’s sister, and a child of the depression era, was an artist — a painter. I was very close to her, and in my youth would often spend time with her, especially during the summer. I remember being so impressed that although she juggled a home and family and her own small business, she always fit in time to paint. I believe her passion to make painting a priority, influenced me to do the same… always commit to strike a balance with my art practice and other life responsibilities. I can still picture my aunt painting at her easel which was set up in her living room, while she had dinner cooking in the kitchen!
She and I shared our love of art and painting until her passing at 95. We loved painting together in her later years, in her home studio, out in the New England landscape, or in Provence, France, a trip she gifted me in 2000. My aunt was 86 at the time but had the energy of someone much younger! It was my first trip to Europe and we stayed for two weeks in a house in Provence with several other women painters. It was a dream and I am forever grateful to my aunt for that experience and her unending encouragement and nurturing of my art career.
How would you describe your work to a first time viewer?
I would describe my ongoing series as contemporary still life. My works are mostly imagined but inspired by my love of pottery and flowers. I interpret and suggest the essence of my subject simply, adding interest with a unique palette, texture, and mark making.
What does your process look like?
My process is always intuitively driven, meaning each start may be different. Often, I begin a painting quite abstractly, perhaps a big thick stroke of color, and then a very watery passage that runs in different directions. Then I react to those shapes and marks, hoping to begin to see suggestions of subject that I can define or turn into a still life. I am inspired by the not knowing of what might be, as that makes the process exciting. There is a mystery to my process that I love.
Which artists inspire you the most?
Oh boy, that’s a tough one! I am inspired by so many, whether living artists or those who have passed, but left their mark. I am certainly inspired by many of the women artists from the past who remained committed to their work during the years when women did not get the recognition they deserved. Artists such as Lee Krasner, Helen Frankenthaler, Joan Mitchell, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Mary Cassatt, to name just a few! I am also a big fan of Milton Avery’s work.
Having learned of so many contemporary or current talented artists on Instagram, I feel we all inspire and support each other.
Name the first notable work of art that comes to mind. Why are you drawn to it?
A painting by the Artist Milton Avery, “Blue Trees”, is a favorite that comes to mind. Having seen this work in a museum retrospective of Avery’s work, I was entranced and inspired by his delightful, fanciful, imaginative yet simplified depiction of a subject I love.
What response do you hope your work might inspire in a first time viewer?
To be drawn in, to be captured, by the overall feeling of the work. To react in a positive manner, perhaps to find joy or peace in a particular painting, or to simply inspire a smile.
How do you know when a work is finished?
This answer may be similar for many creatives, but for me it is when I decide that there is no other action necessary to make the painting stronger. It is almost as if I hear the painting speaking to me, saying, “I’m finished, I won’t be better if you make another move, so walk away!”
How do you spend your time outside of the studio?
Time spent with family, my husband, two daughters, two grandsons, and friends. Travel, (whether a spontaneous day trip, a weekend away in New England or a trip to Europe), hiking, nature trails, reading, and playing word games!
Your favorite museums?
In the US - the MFA, as it’s close to home, MoMA, The Whitney, and Portland Museum of Art. I was fortunate to visit many acclaimed museums in Europe but my favorite experience was visiting the Peggy Guggenheim Museum in Venice.
Any up and coming artists who should be on our radar?
So much talent out there!! I’ve discovered an incredible resource of gifted creatives on Instagram, but I so admire the work of Kelly Carmody who grew up in my hometown of Melrose. Her father was the principal, many years ago, of my daughters’ elementary school. He often would talk to me about how his young daughter was very gifted and was hoping to encourage her to attend Art school someday. When the time came I suggested my alma mater, Mass College of Art. Fast forward she is a successful and well-represented painter! I’ve loved following her journey…
Your ideal day in Boston or Melrose?
In Boston: A visit to the MFA and lunch in the museum’s beautiful contemporary wing, or a stroll through the Public Gardens or along Boston’s waterfront.
In Melrose: Walking to my studio, having a productive studio day, and on a warm sunny day, taking a break to sit in the lovely park just across the street from my studio.
A big thank you to Ellen Rolli for opening the doors to her Melrose studio to me this spring and answering these questions. Follow along with Ellen on Instagram to see glimpses from her studio and keep up with her latest work.
