Robert C. Ellis

Biography

Biography

Born in Union Point, Texas, in 1923, Robert C Ellis first began studying art through The University of New Mexico, Taos Summer Field School in 1942. It was here that the artist would meet and befriend one of his personal inspirations: Andrew Dasburg.

 

Ellis would have moved to Taos earlier if it had not been for WWII and his service through the Coast Guard.  After the war, he returned to studying art at the New School of Social Research in New York in 1949, where he studied Abraham Rattner and Adja Yunkers (later one of the Albuquerque Moderns). Ellis returned to New Mexico the following year to study at the University of New Mexico, obtaining his BFA in 1950.

 

Most important to Ellis was the time between 1947 and 1953, when he lived intermittently with the Tarahumara Indians of Mexico’s Sierra Madre. The Tarahumara and their artwork served as profound inspirations to the artist.

 

His ties to Mexico, as strong as those he felt for the Southwest, became even stronger with his 1957 marriage to Rosamaria Ramirez de Alba, a Mexican citizen.  He was the only artist among the Taos Moderns to pursue his career in two countries showing his work on both sides of the border.  in 1961, the artist returned to Taos as a resident of the Wurlitzer Foundation. In 1965, Ellis finally settled in Taos, New Mexico.

 

His paintings from the 1940s onward moved through Cubist and Abstract Expressionist-influenced periods.  In the 1950s, his interest in the nature of luminosity led him to try for a kind of stained glass effect.  In later works, he moved to a more minimalist–type artwork in his painting and printmaking.

 

His first solo exhibition was at Gump’s Gallery in San Francisco, California, in 1942, and from there, his work was exhibited across the North American continent. Ellis exhibited internationally in several galleries in Mexico and at the Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno in Mexico City in 1964.

 

In 1979, R.C. Ellis passed away in Albuquerque, New Mexico, leaving behind his estate to his late partner, Rosamaria Clark.

 

Schools of Study

University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
New School for Social Research, NY

 

Partial List of Collections

Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Roswell Museum, Roswell, NM
The University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM
University of Kansas Art Museum, Lawrence, KS
lnstituto Mexicano Norte Americano de Relaciones Culturales, Mexico City
Sala Permanente de Arte Contemporaneo, Toluca, Mexico

 

Selected Awards

Theodora Shaskin Memorial Award 1965

 

Selected Exhibitions

Galeria de Arte Mexicano, Mexico City (1955, 1957, 1959, 1961)
Museo Nacional de Arte Moderno del lnstituto Nacional de Bellas Artes, Mexico City 1964
Tucson Art Center, Tucson, AZ 1969
Jonson Gallery, Albuquerque, NM 1969
The Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg, KS 1976
Pan American Union, Washington, D.C. 1955
Brooklyn Museum, NY 1959
American Embassy in Tokyo, Japan 1965

 

RC Ellis at 203 Fine Art

The following exhibition catalogues, published by 203 Fine Art, feature works by Robert C. Ellis. Please follow the links to view the catalogues on Issuu.

Robert C. Ellis | Minimalist Works From the 70s | 2023

R.C. Ellis | 2020

Taos Moderns in Santa Fe | 2019

Taos Moderns Return to The Stables Gallery | 2018

Robert C. Ellis & Michio Takayama Legends of Taos | 2017

Taos Moderns: Bridging the Gap | 2015

Works
  • Robert C. Ellis, Phasm #4, 1978
    Robert C. Ellis
    Phasm #4, 1978
    Oil and graphite on linen
    62 x 68 inches
    157.5 x 172.7 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Isole #11, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Isole #11, ca. 1970s
    Oil on linen
    100 x 80 inches
    254 x 203.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Afuera, 1967
    Robert C. Ellis
    Afuera, 1967
    pastel on paper
    Mixed media on paper
    12 x 9.75"
    signed and dated lower right
  • Robert C. Ellis, We Find Solace, 1957
    Robert C. Ellis
    We Find Solace, 1957
    Casein on paper
    21 ½ x 14 inches
    54.6 x 35.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain Series (Night), c. 1960s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain Series (Night), c. 1960s
    pastel on paper
    Mixed media on paper
    8 x 10"
    signed lower right
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain No. 101, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain No. 101, ca. 1970s
    Acrylic and oil on canvas
    50 x 40 inches
    127 x 101.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, White Island, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    White Island, ca. 1970s
    Oil on linen
    50 x 42 inches
    127 x 106.7 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Three, 1967
    Robert C. Ellis
    Three, 1967
    oil pastel on Amate bark paper ( Mexican bark paper)
    7 ¾ x 4 ½ inches
    19.7 x 11.4 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Isole #3, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Isole #3, ca. 1970s
    Oil on canvas
    49 x 42 inches
    124.5 x 106.7 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Two, 1967
    Robert C. Ellis
    Two, 1967
    oil pastel on Amate bark paper (Mexican bark paper)
    7 ¾ x 4 ½ inches
    19.7 x 11.4 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Firmamento, c. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Firmamento, c. 1970s
    oil on canvas
    41 ¾ x 31 ¾ inches
    106 x 80.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Sprinkler System, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Sprinkler System, ca. 1970s
    Oil on canvas
    51 x 41 ¾ inches
    129.5 x 106 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Isole #5, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Isole #5, ca. 1970s
    Oil on canvas
    48 x 40 inches
    121.9 x 101.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Cuautla No. Twenty, 1963
    Robert C. Ellis
    Cuautla No. Twenty, 1963
    oil on canvas
    30 x 24 inches
    76.2 x 61 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Paisaje Interceptado , 1958
    Robert C. Ellis
    Paisaje Interceptado , 1958
    Oil on linen
    36 x 73 ½ inches
    91.4 x 186.7 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Cittanova, 1959
    Robert C. Ellis
    Cittanova, 1959
    crayon
    7 ¾ x 10 ¾ inches
    19.7 x 27.3 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Landscape, 1962
    Robert C. Ellis
    Landscape, 1962
    wood block
    19 x 29 ½ inches
    48.3 x 74.9 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Mar #1, 1960
    Robert C. Ellis
    Mar #1, 1960
    crayon on paper
    14 x 16 inches
    35.6 x 40.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Mountains ed. 1/10, 1950
    Robert C. Ellis
    Mountains ed. 1/10, 1950
    wood block on paper
    12 ½ x 22 inches
    31.8 x 55.9 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Noche Larga, 1965
    Robert C. Ellis
    Noche Larga, 1965
    wood block on paper
    13 x 8 ½ inches
    33 x 21.6 cm
    43 of 50
  • Robert C. Ellis, Noche Larga, 1965
    Robert C. Ellis
    Noche Larga, 1965
    woodblock on paper - artist's proof
    13 x 8 inches
    33 x 20.3 cm
    Artist Proof
  • Robert C. Ellis, Ranchos Church, 1942
    Robert C. Ellis
    Ranchos Church, 1942
    Pencil on paper
    9 ½ x 13 inches
    24.1 x 33 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Sin Color Collection of 9, 1975
    Robert C. Ellis
    Sin Color Collection of 9, 1975
    embossings 76/100
    16 x 12 inches
    40.6 x 30.5 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain Series Blue Horizon (Lithograph)
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain Series Blue Horizon (Lithograph)
    Lithograph
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
    21 of 26
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain No. Eleven, ca. 1970
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain No. Eleven, ca. 1970
    Graphite on paper
    25 x 18 inches
    63.5 x 45.7 cm
    Framed 30 x 23 inches
    Framed 76.2 x 58.4 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Graphite #10, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Graphite #10, ca. 1970s
    Graphite on paper
    24 x 17 inches
    61 x 43.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain Series Blue Horizon (Lithograph)
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain Series Blue Horizon (Lithograph)
    Lithograph
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
    24 of 26
  • Robert C. Ellis, Rome #8, 1960
    Robert C. Ellis
    Rome #8, 1960
    charcoal on paper
    10 ½ x 16 ½ inches
    26.7 x 41.9 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain Series Grey Horizon, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain Series Grey Horizon, ca. 1970s
    Encaustic and graphite on hand made paper
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Taos Marada, 1942
    Robert C. Ellis
    Taos Marada, 1942
    oil on board
    16 x 20 inches
    40.6 x 50.8 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Taos Mountain
    Robert C. Ellis
    Taos Mountain
    Pencil
    8 ½ x 11 ½ inches
    21.6 x 29.2 cm
    Framed: 17 ¼ x 19 ¾ inches
    Framed: 43.8 x 50.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, The People Mourn!, 1960
    Robert C. Ellis
    The People Mourn!, 1960
    oil pastel
    19 x 15 inches
    48.3 x 38.1 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Untitled (Cave Figures), 1950
    Robert C. Ellis
    Untitled (Cave Figures), 1950
    oil pastels on paper glued to masonite board
    15 x 22 inches
    38.1 x 55.9 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Untitled 2 Spain Series, c. 1970's
    Robert C. Ellis
    Untitled 2 Spain Series, c. 1970's
    mixed media with colored pencil
    16 ½ x 24 inches
    41.9 x 61 cm
    Framing: 24 x 32 inches
    Framing: 61 x 81.3 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Untitled Spain Series, c. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Untitled Spain Series, c. 1970s
    mixed media on linen
    49 x 68 ¾ inches
    124.5 x 174.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Untitled Torre Real, ca. 1970
    Robert C. Ellis
    Untitled Torre Real, ca. 1970
    Graphite and colored pencil on paper
    22 x 17 inches
    55.9 x 43.2 cm
    Framed: 28 x 22 inches
    Framed: 71.1 x 55.9 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Vertical Color Lines, 1959
    Robert C. Ellis
    Vertical Color Lines, 1959
    casein on paper
    11 ½ x 17 inches
    29.2 x 43.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcano #37, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcano #37, ca. 1970s
    Graphite on paper
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcano Series 2, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcano Series 2, ca. 1970s
    Pastel on paper
    5 x 7 inches
    12.7 x 17.8 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcanoes #98, c 1978
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcanoes #98, c 1978
    "ctp"
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
    CTP
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcano #39, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcano #39, ca. 1970s
    Graphite on paper
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
    Framed: 24 x 32 inches
    Framed: 61 x 81.3 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcanoes no.97, 1973
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcanoes no.97, 1973
    mixed media on rag paper
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Warriors, 1953
    Robert C. Ellis
    Warriors, 1953
    casein on masonite
    44 x 28 inches
    111.8 x 71.1 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Blue & Blue Drawing #3, c. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Blue & Blue Drawing #3, c. 1970s
    crayon on paper
    23 x 17 ½ inches
    58.4 x 44.5 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Ave Numero Tres, 1960
    Robert C. Ellis
    Ave Numero Tres, 1960
    crayon on paper
    11 ¾ x 16 inches
    29.8 x 40.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Aspens, 1942
    Robert C. Ellis
    Aspens, 1942
    pencil on paper
    13 x 10 inches
    33 x 25.4 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Wanderers , 1962
    Robert C. Ellis
    Wanderers , 1962
    Oil on canvas
    76.2 x 203.2 cm
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcanoes Series Yellow 2 , 1960s-1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcanoes Series Yellow 2 , 1960s-1970s
    Pastel on paper
    5 x 7 inches
    12.7 x 17.8 cm
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Untitled 1952, 1952
    Robert C. Ellis
    Untitled 1952, 1952
    crayon on paper
    Mixed media on paper
    5.25 x 3.265"
    signed & dated lower right
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Torre Real Number Three, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Torre Real Number Three, ca. 1970s
    Graphite and colored pencil on paper
    34.3 x 26.7 cm
    Lower Left "R.C. Ellis"
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain Series Blue Horizon, c. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain Series Blue Horizon, c. 1970s
    mixed media on paper
    22 x 30 inches
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain Series Blue Horizon, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain Series Blue Horizon, ca. 1970s
    Pastel and pencil on paper
    55.9 x 76.2 cm
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain No. 102, 1973
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain No. 102, 1973
    Acrylic and oil on linen
    128.9 x 102.9 cm
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Merry Christmas, 1956
    Robert C. Ellis
    Merry Christmas, 1956
    crayon & gouache on paper
    3.25 x 4.75"
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Llano Quemado No. 3, c. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Llano Quemado No. 3, c. 1970s
    mixed media on linen
    48 x 40 inches
    121.9 x 101.6 cm
    Framed: 50 x 41 ¾ inches
    Framed: 127 x 106 cm
    signed on face
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Calabria study for painting, 1959
    Robert C. Ellis
    Calabria study for painting, 1959
    casein on paper
    5.25 x 14.5"
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Calabria, c. 1960s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Calabria, c. 1960s
    oil on canvas
    15.75 x 39.75"
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Elements #2, 1977
    Robert C. Ellis
    Elements #2, 1977
    graphite on paper
    21 x 29"
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Spain No. Seven, ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Spain No. Seven, ca. 1970s
    Graphite on paper
    63.5 x 45.7 cm
    Lower left "R.C. Ellis"
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Study One for Landscape - Night
    Robert C. Ellis
    Study One for Landscape - Night
    pastel on paper
    Mixed media on paper
    6 x 7.75"
    signed lower right
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Study One for Landscape - Day
    Robert C. Ellis
    Study One for Landscape - Day
    pastel on paper
    Mixed media on paper
    6 x 7.75"
    signed lower right
    Sold
  • Robert C. Ellis, Horizontal Orange, 1960
    Robert C. Ellis
    Horizontal Orange, 1960
    Casein on paper
    7 x 21 ½ inches
    17.8 x 54.6 cm
  • Robert C. Ellis, Volcanoes Series Yellow 1 , ca. 1970s
    Robert C. Ellis
    Volcanoes Series Yellow 1 , ca. 1970s
    Pastel on paper
    5 x 7 inches
    12.7 x 17.8 cm
    Sold
Exhibitions