Artist Spotlight – Ellen Klamon

Artist Spotlight: Ellen Klamon

by Kim Carr

Without a doubt, you know you are pulling up to an artist’s home as you turn into Ellen Klamon’s driveway. The yard and porch are not decorated with the standard three-concrete-deer family…papa, mama and baby, or the ever popular garden gnome. Instead, you are treated to a quiet blending of original works-of-art, pops of color and a subtle statement that someone who thinks and lives outside of the box, resides here.

Inside you are immediately greeted by Ellen’s constant companion, Seamus, her rescue dog. Riley the cat prefers to bask in the sun and would rather not be disturbed unless it’s time to eat. Ellen’s home is an equal mix of her artwork along with that of her friends and other artists she admires. Nothing matches and there is a vast array of styles, colors, textures, mediums, sizes, shapes and purpose, but everything blends harmoniously and immediately gives off a warm, homey, fun feeling which tantalizes all of your senses.

Chatting with Ellen, she explained that along with being an artist, she puts her creative skills to work as a staging agent. Basically, Ellen works with real estate agents and home owners to help them redesign, reorganize, rearrange or renovate a living space for sale or for improved living. It’s no wonder her home has such a smooth, easy feeling of elegance and comfort.  Her home staging business can be found at www.ehousecalls.net.  It is obvious that Ellen has a knack for turning a house into a home by combining artwork, furniture, accessories and other necessities into a livable canvas that anyone would look forward to coming home to. Staging homes is satisfying work for Ellen because there is a beginning, a middle and an end. Being able to see a complete transformation and the happiness her styling efforts bring is very rewarding for this lifelong artist.

Growing up in St. Louis, Ellen was born to be an artist. While still in middle school, she was offered her first job. There was a small hobby shop in Kirkwood, MO that offered to pay Ellen to sit in their front window and paint wooden toys from their build-your-own-kits. Her mom, who was also very creative, probably would have agreed; however, Ellen’s dad was against the idea. This did not deter Ellen from a life as an artist. By the time she made it to high school, Ellen was making earrings from ping pong balls. She would pack them in an egg carton and bring them to school to sell to her friends and fellow classmates.

At her home studio, Ellen offers a Recycle, Reuse, Repurpose, Rework class in which participants can bring in their broken pieces of jewelry or that earring missing its partner, or perhaps an old piece they would like to rework into an updated, wearable version. Ellen has plenty of space and all the tools one would need to use. The class has become a much- anticipated social gathering as well as a creative workshop for those who attend.

Having experienced some success as an artist in high school, Ellen jumped feet first into college pursuing an undergraduate degree in both printmaking and drawing. With a thirst that wouldn’t be quenched, Ellen returned to study metalsmithing. Today, she still describes herself as a perpetual student, always wanting to learn new techniques, new mediums, new opportunities. She is driven to try new things and most recently completed a workshop on liquid enameling that she utilizes in her jewelry making. Next up, perhaps a class on powder coating. Not only does Ellen relish the opportunity to learn but she also loves to teach…sharing what she knows with others. Someday she hopes to add an encaustic studio so she can teach classes to others wishing to learn this exciting art form. According to Google, “Encaustic is a wax based paint (composed of beeswax, resin and pigment), which is kept molten on a heated palette. It is applied to an absorbent surface and then reheated in order to fuse the paint”

By now, I was very curious as to how many different mediums and techniques Ellen worked with, so she rattled off an abbreviated list. With her jewelry she does enamel, epoxy resin, fabricated non-cast. She also solders, works with stones and colored pencils, uses spray paint for her graffiti series, uses copper & silver and does cold connections. While I was still trying to wrap my head around the brief description of techniques and materials used in her jewelry line, Ellen started listing other ways she enjoys creating art…..printmaking (linoleum and wood), bas relief, etchings, silk screen printing, painting with acrylics, pastels, watercolor, opaque watercolor, colored pencils, encaustic painting, photography, polaroid transfers and graphic design on the computer. I don’t even know three quarters of what I just listed, but I know Ellen has a passion for art and a gift to create beauty in whatever she does. To see a sampling of Ellen’s creations, you can visit her website at www.ellenklamon.com.  Here you can also find a list of upcoming shows. It’s no wonder Ellen has juried into the Best of Missouri Hands under three categories….printmaking, drawing, and jewelry!

Speaking of shows, Ellen shared that when she first started out, art shows didn’t exist as they do today. She would take her artwork, pin it or clip it to a fence near a busy street and sell. Times have changed and Ellen has been through it all from large art shows to wholesale. Her advice to new artists is as follows: do your research, decide what type of market you want to get into, learn what is needed to successfully do that and have fun.

After taking twenty years off to raise a family, Ellen took a year to research the current market. She even flew to the Smithsonian Craft Show in Washington, DC to study booth displays, how artists exhibited their work and to get a feel for what artists were successfully creating and selling. She recommends that if you wish to pursue art, invest in yourself. To learn more about the Smithsonian Craft Show please visit www.smithsoniancraftshow.org

Having done the larger art shows, Ellen has comfortably settled in the smaller “Boutique” type shows. She prefers a more intimate setting where customers become friends and friends become family. When I asked her how she became involved with the Best of Missouri Hands, Ellen stated that she was introduced to our group by Mary Benjamin who felt Ellen would be a great addition to the group and could benefit from the networking the group offered. Ellen entered the group around the same time as other noted BOMH artists such as Gail Crozier of Stranded Glass, Theresa Gallup of Kimono Designs and Nancy Clark, to name a few. The friendships she has formed over the years will last a lifetime; and to Ellen, this has been the best experience as a BOMH artist. Being an artist can often be a lonely and isolating career as we spend long hours creating and marketing our work. Her involvement with fellow artists, attending workshops, teaching classes and staging houses helps fill the gaps by providing human contact…that and her adorable grandson who keeps her very active.

Whether creating a 2D piece or a 3D, Ellen is always inspired by color, shape and balance. She enjoys a good, clean design even if it is slightly off kilter. Years ago, Ellen would sell single earrings and allow the customer to mix and match by color scheme or geometric shapes. The customer, however, found it hard to buy earrings in this manner, so Ellen has gone back to pairing them. But trust me….they are still edgy, funky, intriguing and exciting. If you like texture, color and shapes, you will want to check out Ellen’s line of jewelry.

Along with being a member of the Best of Missouri Hands, Ellen is also a member of the Society for Midwest Metalsmith and participates in their annual Hot Metal Show (Oct 14 & 15) which is a much anticipated art show in St. Louis. It features the finest jewelry artists around. She also serves as the chairperson for the Fall into Art Show which is held at the Hawken House in Webster Groves (Oct 21 & 22). This show brings together 12 local artists, live music and wine for a fantastic art-filled event. This year’s show combines the holidays with a Creepy Christmas theme. In addition to the memberships and roles that Ellen plays, she is also part of 13 Squared-a group of women of a certain age. They produce 100 works of art that are sized 8×8 and sell for $50 each to raise funds for various art organizations. Last year’s funds went towards a Summer Art Camp for kids. The project also helps keep Ellen in touch with painting and drawing. Ellen’s goal is to help artists that follow her by giving them a hands-up, ensuring a world of art for future generations.

When she isn’t busy creating and selling her artwork or networking with other artists, Ellen enjoys the Opera Theatre of St. Louis where she has been a season ticket holder since 1977. Her favorite place to vacation is Whidbey Island in Seattle where whale watching is a real treat. Back home, Ellen’s days are filled with art, her grandson’s laughter and antics, pets, family and friends. Her life is reflective of her art…full of color, shape and balance. While complimenting Ellen on her artwork and her collection of art from friends, I noticed a nice array of chickens/roosters. Come to find out, Ellen has an ex-mother-in-law who was less than kind. She had a phobia about chickens & roosters…thus Ellen’s passion for this particular collection was born. I knew Ellen was a colorful, witty artist, but now I know she has a fun-loving sense of humor too. I left with a chuckle and look forward to visiting again.

Be sure to catch Ellen at a show, stop in one of the galleries where you can find her work or visit her website at www.ellenklamon.com to get a sense of this creative and funny mind, you’ll enjoy the journey.