Experience:
May, 2008-present Owner of teaching studio, Mudstone Studios, 30 Cutler St, Warren, RI The studio offers shared space for people working in the ceramics medium, classes, community outreach programs and exhibitions. www.mudstonestudios.com
2008-present RISD CE instructor, youth ceramics
2000 – Present Self-employed Freelance Ceramics Sculptor specializing in dog portraits and animals.
2002 – 2005 Ceramics Instructor for after school Ceramics programs including Hampden Meadows School, Barrington, RI UCAP, Providence, RI, Rockwell Elementary, Bristol, RI Students are guided through several different projects during these 6-16 week programs.
2000 – Present Artist in residence; grant funded (Rhode Island State Council on the Arts), (and VSA) collaborative ceramic projects all over RI. Students are guided through several steps and processes to create a lasting ceramic-relief mural or three-dimensional sculptures. These projects are integrated with the current curriculum of each school, usually last about 5-6 weeks and every student takes part in the process. Ellen has worked in several of Rhode Island’s public schools and with varying age groups. A more detailed list with photos is available upon request.
1996 – 2002 Studio Apprentice and Classroom Assistant to Allison Newsome, MFA RISD Internationally renowned Ceramics Sculptor and Instructor, Warren, RI 401-247-2141 Assist with routine tasks in maintaining a ceramics studio, clay preparation, kiln operation, overseeing the schedule of student activities, assisting in large installations and school projects
1998 – 2000 Production Manager for Pat Warwick Ceramic Surfaces, Warren, RI 401-247-0779 Oversee all phases of tile production including supervision of employees, often training new, inexperienced workers to work with clay and glazes for the first time. Also assisting to prepare and set up displays at trade shows and representing the artist to the public
1997 – 1998: Activities Instructor, Eastgate Nursing &Recovery, E. Providence, RI Led various activities with residents including a wide variety of art projects
Education and Training:
2001-present Field experience in developing curriculum, organizing schedules, coordinating with teachers and artists and classroom experience with students of all ages and abilities.
2015 the Wheel as a Tool with Rose Esson-Dawson.Learning to use the potter's wheel alongside hand-building for sculptural and functional work.
2015 Pit Firing workshop, with Adam Ferbert. Learning to use terra sigillata, a fine, clay slip to assist in burnishing a highly polished surface, then pit-firing for a naturally decorated surface.
2013 Terra Cotta class with Sharon Pollock, RISD CE.Using low-fired, terra cotta clay for hand-building.
2012 Surface treatment workshop with Rose Esson-Dawson. 2-day workshop focusing on textures, slips and other surface treatments.
2011 Sculpting the figure with Izzy Galinelli. 10 week RISD class on sculpting the figure.
2010 Sculpture workshop with Mexican artist, Marco Vargas. 4 day sculpture workshop including buttressing, burnished slips and mid-range firing.
2009 Workshop with Richard Flores, California ceramics artist. 5-day class on ceramics technical, glaze mixing, alternative firings.
2006 Trip to Mexico City and Patzcuaro to work with local potter and other artists using native clay, materials and firing methods. Also visited many museums and studios.
1996 – 2005 Student / Apprentice to Allison Newsome MFA RISD, Warren, RI (better than any college could offer)
2003 SmART Schools 5-day workshop in arts education at N. Kingston High
2001-present Roster Artist for the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
2001 Tom McKenna, 5-day Sculpture Workshop Water Street Studio, Warren, RI
2000 Jill Solomon, 4 day Sager Firing Workshop, Truro Center For the Arts, Cape Cod, MA
2000 Arts and Literacy, 1-day workshop in arts education at Brown U
1989 High School Diploma, Bristol Public Schools.
Exhibitions:
March, 2015 Learning Curves with NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts), a mentorship exhibition involving working artists alongside High School Seniors. One of our students won both a golden key award and a $4,000 scholarship for work created with us!
Holidays, 2014 Mudstone Artist Annex, a storefront on MainStreet for the Holidays.
2012-2015 Bristol/Warren Art Night at Mudstone Studios and 30 Cutler Street Gallery. An arts tour on the last Thursday of every month
Spring/Summer 2012 Garden sculptures at Sweetberry Farms, Middletown, RI
2011-2013 Showing artist at Isherwood Gallery, William St, Newport, RI
May, 2011 – 2013 Partner in Gallery, Gallery Eleven Fine Arts, 11 State Street, Bristol, RI
Spring, 2010 Fantasy Fables and Fairy Tales a 3 person show at DeBlois Gallery in Newport
Summer, 2009 Imago gallery exhibition of circus animals.
Fall & Winter 2008 Holiday show at the Cadeaux du Monde’s Gallerie Escallier.
2007-present “Garden Ornaments” A group show of outdoor ceramics at Sweet Berry Farms, Middletown, RI
Spring 2007 “3 Women 3 Views” A nearly sold out show of surrealistic carousel animals at Deblois Gallery, Newport, RI
Fall 2006 “Vestiges” A showing of ruins, ghosts and endangered species.
Winter 2004 “Clay Conjuring” Shown in the Gallery Escalier, an exhibit of wall hangings. Many of which were decorated with a technique called Scgraffito.
2001-present “Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Sale” at the DuBlois Gallery in Newport.A seasonal display of fine crafts in a more affordable range of pricing. Ellen has shown one of a kind mouse sculptures, pit-fired Crèches and beaded ornaments.
2003-2004 “Garden Finial Show” at the Blithewold Mansion grounds in Bristol Works include outdoor sculptures of dogs, bird-baths and other garden decorations.
Spring 2003 “Art Show at the Dog Show” National Juried Fine Arts competition held in Wichita Kansas sponsored by the AKC (American Kennel Club)
Spring 2003 “Figure This” at the DuBlois Gallery in Newport A contest, sale using the figure as a theme. Ellen’s works were sculptures of acrobats.
Fall 2002 “Uncommon Art on the Common” Bristol, RI An exhibit of arts and fine crafts on the Town Common.
Spring 2002 “Face It” at the DuBlois Gallery in Newport, RI A contest with the face as a theme. Ellen sold her surrealistic sculpture of a woman with her face in her hand, looking back inside herself where she sees a hallway full of unopened doors.
Winter 2001 “Coffee Shop Show” at Starbucks Coffee in Barrington An exhibit of wall pieces, mostly depicting wildlife.
Summer 2001 Group Installation at RI Hospital, working with several other artists to create a more cheerful environment for radiation patients. The once dark, narrow corridor is now full of color and fun things to see. Project funded by Lifespan.
Summer 2001 “Wild Things” at the Cadeaux du Monde in Newport A two person show featuring the works of Ellen Blomgren and Judi Israel. The show was held outdoors in Le Jardin.
1999 – 2002 “Water Street Studio Openings” at the Water Street Studio in Warren. Group show of student works
May, 2008-present Owner of teaching studio, Mudstone Studios, 30 Cutler St, Warren, RI The studio offers shared space for people working in the ceramics medium, classes, community outreach programs and exhibitions. www.mudstonestudios.com
2008-present RISD CE instructor, youth ceramics
2000 – Present Self-employed Freelance Ceramics Sculptor specializing in dog portraits and animals.
2002 – 2005 Ceramics Instructor for after school Ceramics programs including Hampden Meadows School, Barrington, RI UCAP, Providence, RI, Rockwell Elementary, Bristol, RI Students are guided through several different projects during these 6-16 week programs.
2000 – Present Artist in residence; grant funded (Rhode Island State Council on the Arts), (and VSA) collaborative ceramic projects all over RI. Students are guided through several steps and processes to create a lasting ceramic-relief mural or three-dimensional sculptures. These projects are integrated with the current curriculum of each school, usually last about 5-6 weeks and every student takes part in the process. Ellen has worked in several of Rhode Island’s public schools and with varying age groups. A more detailed list with photos is available upon request.
1996 – 2002 Studio Apprentice and Classroom Assistant to Allison Newsome, MFA RISD Internationally renowned Ceramics Sculptor and Instructor, Warren, RI 401-247-2141 Assist with routine tasks in maintaining a ceramics studio, clay preparation, kiln operation, overseeing the schedule of student activities, assisting in large installations and school projects
1998 – 2000 Production Manager for Pat Warwick Ceramic Surfaces, Warren, RI 401-247-0779 Oversee all phases of tile production including supervision of employees, often training new, inexperienced workers to work with clay and glazes for the first time. Also assisting to prepare and set up displays at trade shows and representing the artist to the public
1997 – 1998: Activities Instructor, Eastgate Nursing &Recovery, E. Providence, RI Led various activities with residents including a wide variety of art projects
Education and Training:
2001-present Field experience in developing curriculum, organizing schedules, coordinating with teachers and artists and classroom experience with students of all ages and abilities.
2015 the Wheel as a Tool with Rose Esson-Dawson.Learning to use the potter's wheel alongside hand-building for sculptural and functional work.
2015 Pit Firing workshop, with Adam Ferbert. Learning to use terra sigillata, a fine, clay slip to assist in burnishing a highly polished surface, then pit-firing for a naturally decorated surface.
2013 Terra Cotta class with Sharon Pollock, RISD CE.Using low-fired, terra cotta clay for hand-building.
2012 Surface treatment workshop with Rose Esson-Dawson. 2-day workshop focusing on textures, slips and other surface treatments.
2011 Sculpting the figure with Izzy Galinelli. 10 week RISD class on sculpting the figure.
2010 Sculpture workshop with Mexican artist, Marco Vargas. 4 day sculpture workshop including buttressing, burnished slips and mid-range firing.
2009 Workshop with Richard Flores, California ceramics artist. 5-day class on ceramics technical, glaze mixing, alternative firings.
2006 Trip to Mexico City and Patzcuaro to work with local potter and other artists using native clay, materials and firing methods. Also visited many museums and studios.
1996 – 2005 Student / Apprentice to Allison Newsome MFA RISD, Warren, RI (better than any college could offer)
2003 SmART Schools 5-day workshop in arts education at N. Kingston High
2001-present Roster Artist for the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts
2001 Tom McKenna, 5-day Sculpture Workshop Water Street Studio, Warren, RI
2000 Jill Solomon, 4 day Sager Firing Workshop, Truro Center For the Arts, Cape Cod, MA
2000 Arts and Literacy, 1-day workshop in arts education at Brown U
1989 High School Diploma, Bristol Public Schools.
Exhibitions:
March, 2015 Learning Curves with NCECA (National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts), a mentorship exhibition involving working artists alongside High School Seniors. One of our students won both a golden key award and a $4,000 scholarship for work created with us!
Holidays, 2014 Mudstone Artist Annex, a storefront on MainStreet for the Holidays.
2012-2015 Bristol/Warren Art Night at Mudstone Studios and 30 Cutler Street Gallery. An arts tour on the last Thursday of every month
Spring/Summer 2012 Garden sculptures at Sweetberry Farms, Middletown, RI
2011-2013 Showing artist at Isherwood Gallery, William St, Newport, RI
May, 2011 – 2013 Partner in Gallery, Gallery Eleven Fine Arts, 11 State Street, Bristol, RI
Spring, 2010 Fantasy Fables and Fairy Tales a 3 person show at DeBlois Gallery in Newport
Summer, 2009 Imago gallery exhibition of circus animals.
Fall & Winter 2008 Holiday show at the Cadeaux du Monde’s Gallerie Escallier.
2007-present “Garden Ornaments” A group show of outdoor ceramics at Sweet Berry Farms, Middletown, RI
Spring 2007 “3 Women 3 Views” A nearly sold out show of surrealistic carousel animals at Deblois Gallery, Newport, RI
Fall 2006 “Vestiges” A showing of ruins, ghosts and endangered species.
Winter 2004 “Clay Conjuring” Shown in the Gallery Escalier, an exhibit of wall hangings. Many of which were decorated with a technique called Scgraffito.
2001-present “Holiday Fine Arts and Crafts Sale” at the DuBlois Gallery in Newport.A seasonal display of fine crafts in a more affordable range of pricing. Ellen has shown one of a kind mouse sculptures, pit-fired Crèches and beaded ornaments.
2003-2004 “Garden Finial Show” at the Blithewold Mansion grounds in Bristol Works include outdoor sculptures of dogs, bird-baths and other garden decorations.
Spring 2003 “Art Show at the Dog Show” National Juried Fine Arts competition held in Wichita Kansas sponsored by the AKC (American Kennel Club)
Spring 2003 “Figure This” at the DuBlois Gallery in Newport A contest, sale using the figure as a theme. Ellen’s works were sculptures of acrobats.
Fall 2002 “Uncommon Art on the Common” Bristol, RI An exhibit of arts and fine crafts on the Town Common.
Spring 2002 “Face It” at the DuBlois Gallery in Newport, RI A contest with the face as a theme. Ellen sold her surrealistic sculpture of a woman with her face in her hand, looking back inside herself where she sees a hallway full of unopened doors.
Winter 2001 “Coffee Shop Show” at Starbucks Coffee in Barrington An exhibit of wall pieces, mostly depicting wildlife.
Summer 2001 Group Installation at RI Hospital, working with several other artists to create a more cheerful environment for radiation patients. The once dark, narrow corridor is now full of color and fun things to see. Project funded by Lifespan.
Summer 2001 “Wild Things” at the Cadeaux du Monde in Newport A two person show featuring the works of Ellen Blomgren and Judi Israel. The show was held outdoors in Le Jardin.
1999 – 2002 “Water Street Studio Openings” at the Water Street Studio in Warren. Group show of student works
