A Gift of Art

CLOCK PHOTO/ EMILY LACHANCE

Plymouth State University had the pleasure of accepting quite a gift from quite the character. Former student Ted Ellis from Bridgewater, NH decided to donate his collection of artwork and books that he acquired throughout his travels as a Merchant Marine to the university. Ellis visited PSU with his canine friend named Wolf to drop off all of the items he was donating. At the end of his visit, he told stories about his experiences and memories of some of the artists and artwork he was donating. At 84-years old, he had a spectacular collection of not only artwork, but also incredible stories from his travels.

“He revealed to us that he chose us because of the wonderful experience he had while attending Plymouth State for a couple of years in the 1940s,” said Elanie Allard, Interim Dean of Library and Academic Support Services. Ted Ellis spent two years at PSU in the late 1940s as an undergraduate before finishing his education at the University of New Hampshire. His time here at Plymouth was full of fond memories. “My best educational experience was with this institution…here, it all felt like a small town I belonged in. I thought the best place for me to give the artwork was here. People can share it with all your students,” said Ellis.

 He later became a very adept Merchant Marine, guiding cargo ships throughout oceans in all different parts of the world for more than 50 years. Gaining different perspectives of the world around him, Ellis has always pursued his hobby of collecting artwork. Throughout his travels with the Merchant Marines, he has collected an array of pieces from several well-known artists such as David Hockney, Thomas Nason, and Rockwell Kent. Some pieces are even signed by the artists, making them that much more special. The collection also includes a couple of local artists, such as Herbert Waters and Christopher Morse, who was a PSU graduate.

Most of the pieces are beautifully done woodcuts and engravings. Ellis’s generous contribution of nearly 60 pieces of art and several interesting books is much appreciated by students and faculty of PSU. “We are very honored to receive the collection of art from Mr. Ellis,” said Allard. “His wish is to make sure students can view and enjoy the collection. We appreciate his donation and generosity and look forward to exhibiting these pieces.”

There is an exhibit to honor Ted Ellis’s kind gift and to show some of the marvelous artwork he has donated. The exhibit is located on the main floor of Lamson Library.