William John Ellingson

William John Ellingson (1933-1994)
"Brooks Alexander"
Etching, 1966
LFAC #110

Biography

William John Ellingson was born in Forrestburg, South Dakota, on March 29, 1933. After active duty in the U.S. Air Force, he earned a BFA degree in painting and drawing from the Minneapolis College of Art and Design in 1960 and an MFA in printmaking from the University of Iowa in 1963. He had additional education from the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture and the University of Minnesota. Ellingson has been teaching printmaking in the Department of Art at St. Cloud State University since 1963.

Ellingson’s prints have been exhibited in international exhibitions and selected for the “Arts in Embassies” program sponsored by the U.S. Department of State. He has had numerous one-man shows throughout the United States and participated in countless national, regional and local exhibitions. His art is in many permanent collections such as those of the University of Iowa, Nelson Gallery in Kansas City, and the Mayo Foundation in Rochester, Minnesota. He also has sold many art works to private collectors in the US, Japan, Germany, Denmark and England.

Ellingson exhibited in several Fine Arts Festivals sponsored by Luther College. His etching, "Brooks Alexander," was shown in the Print/Watercolor/Drawing Show which was part of the Fine Arts Festival from December 7-17, 1966. Ellingson has said that it is a portrait of his second eldest son. The engraving entitled "First Born," was shown in the Festival held April 5 through May 5, 1963. Ellingson has indicated this was a family portrait including himself, his wife and their son which he created while studying at the University of Iowa. Ellingson’s woodcut, "St. Cloud Quarry," was exhibited at the Festival which ran from April 6 through April 19, 1964. He commented that this landscape is located near one of the many quarries in the vicinity of St. Cloud, Minnesota. A collage and woodcut was created by Ellingson, called "Flower Children," which was purchased from the Paint/Watercolor/Drawing show, a component of the Festival held December 7 through December 16, 1967. Ellingson has said that during the Vietnam War, flower children from Saint Cloud State University were protesting the war, running over a hill in a field. A photo plate is printed in the image.

Ref: Who’s Who in American Art; Fine Arts Collection files

William John Ellingson (1933-1994)
"First Born"
Engraving, 1962
LFAC #161

William John Ellingson (1933-1994)
"St. Cloud Quarry"
Woodcut, 1964
LFAC #172

William John Ellingson (1933-1994)
"Flower Children"
Paper, 1967
LFAC #246

Updated 03/04/2008