The State Museum recently purchased Cathleen Ellisor’s painting “Cleanup Day” for its collection.  Ellisor, a self-taught artist, started her painting career in 1993 by entering works in the South Carolina State Fair and local art competitions.  Many ribbons, awards, and sales later, she is excited about a successful future as an artist.  One of her works, “Sellwood House, 1850,” commissioned by Frank and Mary Anderson of Columbia, recently won third place in the South Carolina State Museum’s 20th Anniversary Juried Art Exhibition.

 

Paul Matheny, the museum’s art curator, became familiar with Ellisor’s artwork after seeing it in Mark Coplan’s collection.  “The mission of the State Museum’s art department is to exhibit, collect and preserve the work of artists directly connected to South Carolina,” says Matheny. “We are the only museum with this specific focus, and we take this role very seriously. Within that mission, one of our primary focuses is the work of folk and self-taught artists from across the state.  Because of her background, intent, and the overall aesthetic to her work, Ellisor’s painting was selected for the museum’s collection.”