biography of William Ellisworth ARTIS (1914-1977)

Birth place: Washington, NC

Death place: Northport, NY

Addresses: NYC, 1927; Mankato, MN

Profession: Educator, ceramist

Studied: Harlem Community Art Center, with Selma Burke and Augusta Savage; State Univ. NY College Ceramics, Alfred, NY, 1940, 1946-47; Syracuse Univ., 1950 (B.F.A.), 1951 (M.F.A.) with Ivan Mestrovic; Chadron State College; Pennsylvania State Univ.; ASL (Harmon Foundation prize, 1933); with Laurent.

Exhibited: WMAA; NYC Art Center, 1933; ASL, 1933; Salons of America, 1934; Harlem Art Committee, 1935; Texas Centennial, 1936; Nat. Arts Club, NYC, 1940; Am. Negro Expo., Chicago, 1940; Syracuse Mus. FA, 1940, 1947-51; Grace Horne Galleries, Boston, 1942; Atlanta Univ., 1944, 1951; USO Exhib., NYC, 1944; NY State Mus., Trenton; Albany Inst. Hist. & Art; Nat. Portrait Gal.; Walker Art Center; Chadron State College; Pennsylvania State College; IBM; Hetzel Union Bldg., 1956-61; Scripps College, CA; Joslyn Art Mus., 1962; Xavier Univ., 1963; Great Hall, City New York, 1967; Creighton Univ., Omaha, NE, 1969; Slater Memorial Mus., Norwich, CT; Howard Univ.; Goodall Art Gallery, Doane College, Crete, NE; Fisk Univ.; Johnson Pub. Co., Chicago; NSS; James A. Porter Gal., 1970; Salons of Am. Awards: Rosenwald fellowship, 1947; Atlanta Univ., 1944-1965 (nine purchase awards); Outstanding Afro-American Artist, 1970.

Member: Am. Ceramic Soc.; NSS; College Art Assn. Am.; Nat. Art Educ. Assn.; NY Soc. Arts & Crafts

Work: Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN; IBM; Slater Mem. Mus., Norwich, CT; Howard Univ.; Joslyn Art Mus.; Goodall Art Gallery, Doane College; Nat. Portrait Gallery, Washington, DC; Johnson Pub. Co., Chicago; Smithonian Inst.; Atlanta Univ. Commissions: ceramic tile room divider, men's dormitory, Chadron State College.

Comments: Sculpted African Americans in clay. Later focused on functional objects. Publications: contributor, American Negro Art (NY Graphic Soc.) Teacher, arts and crafts, YMCA, Harlem, NY, until 1941.

Sources: WW73; Cederholm, Afro-American Artists; Fort, The Figure in American Sculpture, 173-74 (w/repro.); Marlor, Salons of Am.