Lee Ellis | Artist at Mondoir

Nationality: British

Discipline: painting

Born: 1984

Based in: Bristol, United Kingdom

Biography

Lee Ellis is a British multi-media artist based in Bristol. His insatiable desire to create leads him to embrace different artistic mediums, from printmaking to drawing and painting and his bold and expressive style is characterised by the unusual juxtaposition of bright colours and dark subjects. Ellis’s paintings typically convey a visceral and deep-seated angst within his figures, and his raw, expressive brushstrokes make his style poignant and immediately affecting. In his most recent work however the depth of emotion is tempered by wit and originality. His ‘Imposter’ collection made a huge impact, and he has followed this with a host of creative new styles and ideas inspired by royalty, superheroes, iconic design and more, all delivered in his compelling contemporary voice. Ellis graduated from the University of the West of England, where he studied Graphic Design, but soon found his artistic expression was evolving into a love of abstract painting. He developed a distinctive and highly personal style and began to sell his art on the harbour side in Bristol. It was not long before he had attracted attention from local gallery owners and from there his career as a fine artist took off. Since 2007, Ellis has exhibited widely across the UK both in solo and group exhibitions, including Black Rats Projects in Soho and a solo show in Glasgow.

Artist Statement

Themes I explore within my work are depression and addiction, how they affect people and the ways in which they are masked through 'bright' colours and patterns. Outside of these themes I often focus on the process of creation and using things painters shouldn't use in order to move the paint around the surface. The process is a form of catharsis for me.

Exhibitions

Physitaland, September 2023 Weple Gallery, Seoul, Group opening show, July 2023 Gallery 505, Portsmouth, VA Battersea Affordable Art Fair, March 2023, Battersea Affordable Art Fair Winter show, December 2022, Art Pistol, Glasgow Gifted, November 2022, Oink Gallery, Swindon Battersea Affordable Art Fair, March 12th - 15th 2020, Battersea Affordable Art Fair Figure It Out, May 2018, Leontia Gallery, London Semblance, July - August 2017, Well Hung Gallery, London Creative Debut X Bond Dickinson, Feb - May 2017, Bond Dickinson, Bristol Common People, November 2016 - January 2017, 1 Clove Crescent, London Tribe 16, September 30th - October 2nd, Chrom Art Pop Up, London Scratching The Surface, May - June 2016, Lacey Gallery, London Exhibit Here, Summer Show, July - August 2016, Menier Gallery, London New Visions, June - Aug 2015, Grant Bradley, Bristol Southbank Bristol Arts Trail, May 2015, UPfest, Bristol Project Space, April - May 2015, Black Rat Projects, London Battersea Affordable Art Fair, March 12th - 15th 2015, Battersea Affordable Art Fair Flux, Feb. 18th - Feb 22nd 2015, The Rag Factory, London Xmas Show, December 2014 - Jan 2015, It’s All 2 Much Gallery, Bristol Totterdown Arts Trail, November 2014, Totterdown, Bristol Oto, May 2014, UPfest Gallery, Bristol Xmas Show, December 2013 - January 2014, It’s All 2 Much, Bristol Art Parcel Launch, November - December 2013, Square Hotel, Bristol New Visions 11, June 6, 2013 - Aug. 23, 2013, Grant Bradley Gallery, Bristol Xmas Show 2012, Dec. 1, 2012 - Jan. 6, 2013, It’s All 2 Much, Bristol The Dark Show, August - September 2012, Upfest Gallery, Bristol Resurrection, May - June 2012, The Old Church, Weston-Super-Mer London West Bank Presents... 1St Cut ,March 29, 2012 - April 25, 2012, The London West Bank Gallery, London Upfestive, December 2011 - January 2012 UPfest Gallery, Bristol, The Strange Case Of Dr Kimmings & Mr Ellis, November - December 2011 UPfest Gallery, Bristol, Vice Versa, August - September 2011 The West Bank Gallery, London, Bank Job, June - July 2011, The West Bank Gallery, London 1Loveart Presents.. Rump, January - March 2010, Canteen, Bristol Post Festival, June - July 2008, UPfest Gallery, Bristol Urban Arts Group Show, June - July 2008, Grant Bradley Gallery, Bristol, Solo shows Appetite for Disruption, March 2022, Old Bank Vault, London Paintings with names, September 2020, Art Pistol Gallery, Glasgow Work in progress, January 2020, Square Club Pretty Ugly, October 2019, Art Pistol Gallery, Glasgow Show No.31, September - October 2016, Play Dead Gallery, Portsmouth It’s Not Me, It’s You, September - October 2014, UPfest Gallery, Bristol Leebay, January 2014, Ebay, Online Welcome To The Neighbourhood, September - October 2012, It’s All 2 Much, Bristol No Fixed Abode, February - May 2011, Grounded, Bristol Stare At Me, January - February 2011, Emporium, Bristol Seven, March 1 - May 2008, Oppo, Bristol Colour Me In, September - October 2007 Alibi , Bristol