06/06/25
by Victoria Ritter
Ashley Ellis from New London, WI has been “a creative soul” her whole life. She looked forward to school art shows – even selling a piece or two – and studied art and marketing in college. Around 2009, a good friend encouraged her to consider herself as a serious artist. This encouraged Ellis to set up a website, sell paintings and start a professional creative career in 2010.
Today, Ellis exhibits her work, teaches workshops, serves as a juror for local and regional art shows and is a reseller for JESIN.
“It’s been a fulfilling journey, rooted in both personal growth and community engagement,” Ellis said.
Discovering encaustic
Encaustic – pigments mixed with hot wax – was always a fascinating medium to Ellis. About 20 years ago in her first marriage, she and her husband kept five beehives, resulting in a surplus of beeswax. Ellis had heard about encaustic art in college and wanted to give it a try. As the nearest classes were on the East and West coasts, she conducted her own research and started making her own pigments and encaustic.
“It was very elementary how all my pigments turned out, but I like understanding what my raw materials are,” Ellis explained. “What are things made from? How can you improve on them? Can it be something I can do myself or do I have to buy it through a retailer?”
Now Ellis buys encaustic through manufacturers as the products are more predictable. However, she will still occasionally work with organic beeswax as she has friends who are beekeepers.
“I’ll finish a lot of my pieces – especially my big commission pieces – with organic beeswax and damar resin that I crush down,” Ellis said. “You’ll see little pieces of pollen sometimes or a little bee wing – a remnant leftover from the beehives. It’s kind of cool.”
Ellis particularly enjoys the sensory, physical aspect of working with encaustic as she heats, layers, scrapes and fuses the wax, giving the artwork a sculptural, 3-D aspect. She describes her artwork as “abstract with symbolic and expressive undertones.” Ellis works in a series, exploring an idea across 20 to 40 individual pieces. These pieces come in an assortment to provide a range of price points for customers, though they are typically 24-by-24 or 30-by-30 inches. Last year, she introduced an acrylic series to engage new collectors.
Inspiration comes from theology, personal experiences and music. “I enjoy all kinds of music, from classical all the way through contemporary music,” Ellis added. “I am a product of the 90s and the early 2000s, so a lot of the music I have is from the 80s when I was little and 90s through early 2000s when I was in college.”
One collection that holds a special place in Ellis’ heart is her “Sheila” series, named after The Smashing Pumpkins’ song “To Sheila.” The series represents her journey from being single and entering her first marriage to becoming a single parent to three kids and rebuilding her life. (She is now happily remarried with two more children and a third on the way.) “Sheila” includes two 24-by-24 pieces, about 20 10-by-14 pieces and a series of 43 mini acrylics.
“It was raw, honest, and healing – created during a season of transition and reflection,” Ellis stated. “It resonated deeply with others, which affirmed my belief in the power of art to connect and comfort.”
Bringing community together through art
Ellis hopes people experience the human journey when they see her artwork. Some of her pieces have spoken to shared emotions while others resonate with viewers’ own life stories.
“We all the same kind of fears and anxieties,” she said. “We have the same kind of joys. It’s nice to celebrate that, even though it might look a little different in different ways and in different people, it’s a common theme.”
Work on a collection begins in the spring and summer. Ellis will create, on average, 50 pieces, but show only about 20 of them. She’ll then engage in “creative problem-solving,” looking at her art with a critical eye and selecting pieces that work well together; the rest will either get melted down or set aside, perhaps to join a future series.
In addition to her website, ellisvisualarts.com, Ellis sells her art at local shows and galleries including Arts on the Square by the Waupaca Community Arts Board, the Wolf River Art League annual show in New London, and at Wausau Center for the Visual Arts, which hosts national exhibitions, regional artists and a co-op.
The Wisconsin art scene is rich with talent. Ellis admires several contemporaries including fellow encaustic artist Jesse Fritsch. “She’s a brilliant artist. How she applies and uses encaustics is absolutely stunning to see,” Ellis said. “I’ve been fortunate to have other local artists come from my workshops and share their insights. We’re always learning, always growing, trying new things and trying to expand ourselves. I don’t think creating great art happens by yourself – it’s all in community.”
A journey to Jesin
After years of instructing and exhibiting her work, Ellis and her husband, Steve, formed Ellis Visual Arts in January 2024. This paved the way for Ellis to bring JESIN to North America.
Ellis connected with Stephanie Walberer, a resin artist and JESIN seller in Germany who operates under the name Mrs. Colorberry. Ellis had followed Colorberry and watched JESIN develop for many years; when Colorberry expressed interest in selling JESIN in North America, Ellis jumped at the opportunity to distribute JESIN in the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
Ellis primarily uses JESIN to cast vessels, trays, coasters and “from life” sculptures. She appreciates how it’s flame-retardant, lighter than traditional cement, can be used indoors and outside, is durable and cures quickly.
“I love pairing JESIN with our LIQU-MENT pigments to create rich marbled finishes, and sealing with SHEA SEAL for a food-safe, polished look,” Ellis commented. “When it comes to high performance, speed and style, JESIN really shines.”
JESIN also aligns with Ellis’ values and aesthetic. When she teaches workshops – both for kids and adults – she wants to make sure that she uses materials that are safe. JESIN provides a trustworthy alternative to resin.
Ellis is proud of the connections she’s made in her career as an artist – from collectors to partners like JESIN. Together, she hopes to continue fostering creativity.
“Art has the power to heal, inspire and bring people together – and I feel incredibly blessed to be part of that,” Ellis stated. “At the end of the day, I believe art should feel approachable and empowering. Whether you’re casting a JESIN tray or layering encaustic on panel, the creative process is a way of reconnecting with yourself – and that’s something I’m honored to help others discover.”
