Ellen Jewett’s New Phantasmagorical Sculptures
Ellen Jewett's surreal animals meet the magical worlds of natural history, dreams & mythology
Ellen Jewett: We love this new series of phantasmagorical sculptures by Canadian artist Ellen Jewett, who creates beautiful yet surreal animal sculptures that seem to inhabit the magical worlds of natural history and legend as well as dreams and mythology. Ellen Jewett was born in Markham, Ontario and took to shaping three dimensional forms naturally at a young age. In 2007, Ellen completed her post secondary honours degree in Anthropology and Fine Art at McMaster University and while finishing her undergraduate studies, worked in medical illustration, exotic animal care and was teaching a children’s class on stop motion animation. By the time she presented her thesis, Ellen’s academic and artistic interests in the biological were intrinsically interwoven. Ellen Jewett set out on her own path as a career artist while still in high school, spending long summer weekends travelling to exhibitions. Ever the curious soul, Ellen has continued to study art and science respectively while working as an artist, most recently, through Haliburton School of the Arts and University of Guelph. She has also accumulated certifications in other areas of personal intrigue, including applied animal behaviour modification and crisis counseling. According to Ellen, it all informs her art; enriching the content of the unconscious narrative flow. “Plants and animals have always been the surface on which humans have etched the foundations of culture, sustenance, and identity. For myself, natural forms are a continual source of fascination and deep aesthetic pleasure. At first glance, my work explores the more modern prosaic concept of nature: a source of serene nostalgia balanced with the more visceral experience of ‘wildness’ as remarkably alien and indifferent. Upon closer inspection of each ‘creature’, the viewer may discover a frieze on which themes as familiar as domestication and as abrasive as domination fall into sharp relief. These qualities are not only present in the final work but are fleshed out in the process of building.” Today Ellen Jewett’s work is achieving a vibrant internet presence and is featured in public and private collections worldwide. She is enthusiastically expanding her studio practice, forever experimenting and meeting the demand of her time and art. For more detailed information on Ellen Jewett’s amazing work, we recommend a visit to her website.
