Ellen Stern, BA '73

Mixed-media artist

When artist Ellen Stern, B.A., 1973, was laid off in 1998 after almost 20 years with Blue Cross/Blue Shield, she turned her misfortune into opportunity. In love with art since childhood, Stern had taken many art workshops – in quilting, sculpture, illustrating and decoupage – but only on the side. Unemployment, however, gave her the opportunity to pursue her dream of becoming a full-time professional artist.

Because she had been prepared for the layoff, Stern had the luxury of time to begin making her plan. “I got business advice from the American Women’s Economic Development Corporation. I also started taking more courses…a glaze chemistry workshop, a glass mosaic class and another in ceramic mosaics.” Now the award-winning artist teaches workshops of her own and exhibits her art at numerous shows and galleries. She takes great pleasure in her new profession, saying (only half jokingly), “There is nothing outside of art!”

UB: room to change her mind

As an undergraduate, Stern appreciated the diversity and quality of UB’s academics. “What was great about it was that it was known to be good in so many different fields. There was room to change my mind, which I knew would happen.” However, at her parents’ insistence, she chose career-oriented fields rather than pursuing her love of art. Initially an occupational therapy major, Stern graduated with an English degree and a teaching certificate.

One of Stern’s favorite courses at UB was urban anthropology with Professor Lyn Johnson that required students to tour and write about various geographical regions of Buffalo. For Stern, who is a New York City native, the class blended new experiences with familiar pastimes. She says, “I had been a walker all my life. That was in my family. In class discussions, some of the experiences I had had growing up in the Bronx were really different from other people’s experiences. I enjoyed that class and felt that I learned a lot.”

While maintaining her practical focus, Stern did indulge in one semester of art. “When I had just about all the credits I needed to graduate I signed up for an entire term of freshmen art courses – the works. I did pretty well and I learned that my conceptual skills were far advanced from my technical skills.” From that semester she especially remembers the encouraging feedback she received from art instructors such as professors Tony Paterson and Monte England. In particular, Monte England’s recognition and affirmation of her talent gave Stern a newfound confidence in her artistic abilities.

Expressing Herself

Now, years later, Stern is using her talent to its fullest. She has a studio in her home and works in mixed media, although many of her pieces are mosaics. “I use ceramic tile, glass, fiber, and things from nature like shells, pebbles, pine cones and acorns,” she says. Not limited to flat surfaces, Stern’s portfolio includes many unique tiled items such as tables, chairs and mirrors. She has always been interested in fabrics, and recent pieces examine the relationship between mosaic tile and fiber work. She specifically explores how weaving two colors together creates a new third color. Says Stern, “One of the tasks I have set for myself is to reproduce this effect using bits of ceramic tile, making it appear that they have been woven as warp and weft, creating the illusion of a weaving.”

One of her more challenging undertakings was a self-portrait she did in 2004 as part of a Detroit art exhibit called “40 X 40,” which featured work of 40 Michigan female artists age 40 and over. Stern’s portrait has three views, each representing a different aspect of her personality. “One view is a little painting of my face when I am very worried and concerned about things,” she says. “Then there is a three-dimensional mosaic sculpture of my face in the corner of the canvas, which is the me that feels ridiculous for being so worried. But then on the 16” by 16” canvas made of tile is the happy, creative, fun me.”

Stern, who married in 1999, lives with her husband in Farmington Hills, Michigan. She enjoys reading non-fiction, and in spring and summer the nature-enthusiast devotes time to her other love – gardening. However, creating art remains her primary passion, and Stern is grateful for the voice it provides her. Of her work she says, “I feel proud to know that I really expressed myself in the piece and to see that the piece is really unique.”

To learn more about Ellen Stern, click here: http://www.betweenthecracksmosaics.com/ and www.absolutearts.com/ellenstern.

Written by Jessica Dudek, BA '94
May 2005

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