As a professional designer in the corporate world (designing toys for companies such as Mattel Toys), I became disillusioned by the lack of creativity being embraced by the mass market. So, in 1995, as an antidote, I began to uncover and rediscover my more artistic and poetic sides.

Initially, I chose to explore the nature of paper and it’s sculptural qualities. I use recycled paper to create the pulp that I form into shapes reflecting the natural world; seed pods, nests, eggs...shapes that resonate with birth, rebirth and growth. I do this, partially, to recover the sensual feel and spontaneity of working with clay, as I had done earlier in life, but mostly I make these pieces to bring about a physical realization of my inner nurturing feelings. The resulting transitory nature of the work (as in life) is part of its impetus.

I also combine materials, adding layers of wood filler, sanding and filing to create texture. The malleability and permanence of metals in combination with paper pulp intrigues me. Many pieces include words, poems and fables, as I am taken with the strength words can convey, especially in combination with a physical object.

Most recently I have been working with photographs of my sculptural forms to create limited edition digital prints. I generate the imagery by manipulating the photos in many different ways; the process becomes infinite as further re-coloration, re-manipulation and re-creation occur. My method incorporates several artistic techniques and provides a link between traditional and digital art forms, between the two dimensional world and the three dimensional world.

ELLEN JANTZEN

1946 Born and raised in St. Louis Missouri, USA
Currently lives in Valencia California

Education

1992 Graduated Summa Cum Laude from FIDM (Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising), Los Angeles California
1972 Southern Illinois University, majored in fine arts; ceramics and weaving, Edwardsville Illinois
1968 Associate of Arts Degree (graphic arts), Florrisant Valley College, St. Louis Missouri

Books
2001 The Artful Teapot, written by Garth Clark, Thames & Hudson, publishers

Exhibitions

2003
ABSTRACTION VI, Period Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska
THE ARTFUL TEAPOT, International Touring Exhibition, The Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach California
THE MIXED MEDIA V INTERNATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION, Period Gallery, Omaha, Nebraska
2003 NATIONAL DIGITAL ART EXHIBITION, The Muse Gallery, Prescott, Arizona
SCULPTURE AND FINE CRAFTS NATIONAL JURIED EXHIBITION, St. Louis Artists’ Guild, St. Louis Missouri
ANNUAL 2003 ALL MEDIA JURIED EXHIBITION, Palos Verdes Art Center, Rancho Palos Verdes,
California
ARTS ON FIRE VII, Sanchez Art Center, Pacifica, California
THE ARTFUL TEAPOT, International Touring Exhibition, The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art, Toronto, Canada
BOX AS CONTAINER; CELEBRATING THE BOX, Angels Gate Cultural Center, San Pedro California

2002
13th ANNUAL TEAPOT SHOW; ON THE ROAD AGAIN, Chiaroscuro Galleries, Chicago Illinois
THE ARTFUL TEAPOT, International Touring Exhibition begins May 2002 at the Napa Museum of Art, Food and Wine (Copia), Napa, California
IN OTHER WORDS, Art featuring words juried by Patt Morrison, The Second City Council, Long Beach California

2001
MILLENNIUM METAL 2001, Artemis Gallery, Richmond Virginia
12TH ANNUAL TEAPOT SHOW; ON THE ROAD AGAIN, Chiaroscuro Galleries, Chicago Illinois
“OBJETS EXTRAORDINAIRES”, Atrium Gallery in the Pollak Library at Cal State Fullerton, Fullerton, California
“GONE BOWLING, A Show of Bowls”, Worcester Center for Crafts, Worcester Massachusetts

Collections

MULTIPLE PIECES, in the collection of Carole Cole and John Ernsdorf
TEA FOR TWO FABLES, teapot in the collection of Sonny and Gloria Kamm
OVOID OF THE SILVERED TWIGS, Cal State Fullerton
MULTIPLE PIECES, in the collection of Veronica Chiang and Scott Fitzgerald

PUBLICATIONS - BOOKS
The Artful Teapot, Garth Clark, Watson Guptill, ©2001

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