Art by Gail Ellison

I grew up in Indiana and was recognized early on as an artist.  I  moved many times and ended up in Fort Lauderdale for high school.  My art teacher made sure I had an interview with a recruiter from Pratt Institute, where I attended on scholarship for two years.  From there my career path was quite checkered.  At one point, I was waiting tables in Kentucky when a horse trainer noticed that I was tiny and muscular, balancing platters on one arm.  He asked if I liked animals and ended up taking me to Keeneland to get a jockey's license.  But the horsey life was not to happen for me.  It turned out that I was pregnant!  Once I became a mother, I found that I needed  a livelihood, so I went back to school; twice.  The first time I became a histotechnologist and created slides from human flesh.  This I considered tiny print-making.  I sometimes assisted autopsies.  The second time I returned to college, I earned an engineering degree at the University of Florida in Materials Science.  After that, I worked in semiconductor for 15 years, and have been awarded over 20 patents, including nine in night vision.  But semiconductor became unstable and I eventually decided that digital art was a fine blend of art and technology.  It was perfect for me. Along the way, I met my husband, who has been supportive of my endeavors.  Literally.  He is my tech support, as well as my best friend.  After teaching 3D modeling and animation, I retired in May 2025.  This now allows me the time to pursue my own creations.  I have been spreading my wings and entertaining my imagination with each new piece, with a spirit of visual storytelling.