Rose creates colorful, whimsical, realistic still lifes that tell a story.
Rose Ellis (b 1959 Detroit, MI) began her career at the age of 8. Her father was an interior designer and sold her first painting to a bank, kept half the money as his commission and gave her the other half. Her grandfather told her that made her a professional. This allowed her imagination to run wild.
Raised in rural Sparta, Michigan, Rose had many adventures. She taught herself to ride a unicycle, took long rides on her horse and drew everything. At 17, looking for more adventure, she sold her horse and became an exchange student to Japan. Amazingly, she was placed in a home full of artists. Three generations lived under one roof. The Grandfather was a professional sculptor and the mother was a professional calligrapher and gave Rose lessons. The family bought her her first box of origami paper and showed her how to fold.
Back home, she signed up for the area skills center that had a class in graphic design. Rose worked several internships as she attended Kendall School of art and Design. During her education the school went from a 3 year certificate program to a 4 year degree program. She chose to move on after 3 and worked in various graphic departments across America. At the age of 27 she was frustrated that her wage never increased. Transferring her earlier credits she finished her degree at the University of Michigan where there was a studio art program. These were her first formal painting classes. She had found her passion.
Rose landed a job hand painting billboards. She was one of two females doing such work in the nation. It is where she learn to not be intimidated with painting large. Full size billboards are 14’x 48’. But, the job didn’t pay the bills so back to a publishing company she went. Painting continued to be her passion. Finally, Rose decided to take the leap and paint full time.
Rose has come full circle and returned to folding origami. She has made a whole new narrative imaginatively combining her folded characters with found objects to create “stories.” Colorful, whimsical, realistic still lifes that are anything but still. Her artwork can found in galleries, institutions and many private collections.
Rose’s Artistic Statement
The first time I folded an origami dog in my studio, I realized the potential of the stories I could tell. While I would classify my paintings as still lifes, they are anything but still. Some authors know what their stories are going to be before they begin writing, I find that my stories fall into place as they unfold. My creations are meant to be full of whimsy and joy. They inspire my imagination and I hope they do for the viewer as well.
Selected Solo Exhibitions
2025 Saugatuck Art Traders Gallery, Saugatuck, MI
2018 Mercy Health St. Mary's Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
Artist’ Studio, Grand Rapids, MI
2017 Artist’ Studio, Grand Rapids, MI
2016 Artworks, Big Rapids, MI
Artist’ Studio, Grand Rapids, MI
2015 Artist’ Studio, Grand Rapids, MI
2012 Richard App Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
1997 Gallery Arcadia, Grand Rapids, MI
1995 Shibui Gallery, Grand Rapids, MI
Selected Group Exhibitions
2026 Steamboat Art Museum, Steamboat Springs, CO
2024 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
2023 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
2022 “93rd MI Contemporary Exhibition” Muskegon Museum of Art, Muskegon, MI
Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
2021 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
2020 39th Annual MI Fine Arts Comp (2nd Place)
2019 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids, MI
Festival of the Arts, Grand Rapids, MI (Best of Show)
2018 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
Artist’ Studio, Grand Rapids
2017 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
Cascade Gallery, Ada, MI
2016 Synchronicity Art Gallery, Glen Arbor, MI
Cascade Gallery, Ada, MI
2015 Button/Petter Gallery, Douglas, MI
Cascade Gallery, Ada, MI
2014 Button/Petter Gallery, Douglas, MI
Cascade Gallery, Ada, MI
2013 Button/Petter Gallery, Douglas, MI
Cascade Gallery, Ada, MI
2012 Visual Arts Center, Punta Gorda, FL
2011 “National Juried Small Works Show” Windsor Arts Center, Windsor, NY
Cape Fear Studios, Fayetteville, NC (Best of Show)
Richard Low Evans Gallery, Blue Ridge, GA
2010 Forest Tanner Fine Arts, Tallahassee, FL
2006 “Echoes of Classicism,” Grand Valley State University, Grand Rapids, MI
1996 Desert Art Source, Palm Desert, CA
Gallery Arcadia, Grand Rapids, MI
1993 West Michigan Regional Art Show, Lowell, MI (Best 2-D)
Windsor Arts Center, Windsor, NY (National Juried Small Works Show) 2011
Selected Collections
Pamella DeVos, Vice-Chair, Whitney Museum of American Art, NY
Hiroshi Koizumi, President, Toyama Cultural Association, Japan
DeVos Place, Grand Rapids, MI
Betsy DeVos, FormerSecretary of Education, USA
Grand Valley State University, Multiple campuses, MI
Mercy Health, MI
Warner, Norcross & Judd, L.L.P, Grand Rapids, MI
Richard DeVos, Founder, Amway Corporation, Ada, MI
William B. Eerdmans Publishing, Grand Rapids, MI
Spectrum Health, MI
Hascall Steel Inc., MI
River House, Grand Rapids
Prince Manufacturing, Zeeland, MI
Mr & Mrs AAron Blasius, Chicago, IL
Mr and Mrs Stegman, Barryton, MI