TESTIMONIALSUPPORTS: ARTIST/EDUCATORELLENJAYEBENSON

IfirstmetElleninmyownfirstyearofteaching,whenshewasundertakingherdrawing majoratRMITUniversity.Asastudentshewasexceptional:tirelesslycurious,prodigiously productive,spirited,resourcefulanddeterminedevenatraretimeswheninspirationproved elusive. IfeelhonouredtonowcountEllenasafriendandrespectedpeer,andithasbeenmy observationthatthequalitiesshedemonstratedasastudentremainintegraltoherpractice andlife. Inparticular,Ellenmaintainsastrongconnectionwithhercreativenetwork,regularlyand generouslysharingherartwork,inspirationandideas,welcomingfeedbackandgenerating discussion.Shehasenviablereservesofenergyandherworkethicisformidable.Ellens curiosityandrigorousartisticenquiryalsounderpinavastmentallibraryoftheartworld, whichshecataloguesmeticulouslyandpubliclyforthebenefitofothers. Ellenisalsoadaptable.Herdeterminationtomaintainanartpracticewhilstbeginninga familyinvolvedforaysintodigitalmedia,collaborativeexperimentswithchildrenand explorationofnewmaterials. EllenspracticeisdrivenbyafundamentalbeliefinArtaspowerful,meaningfuland essentialtohumanity.Ihavenodoubtthatasanartteacher,Ellenwillbeaforceofenergy, integrity,knowledge,creativityandgenerosity,simplybecausethesequalitiescharacterise everythingshedoes.Icannotcommendhermorehighly. HONORBRADBEER,ARTIST/EDUCATOR (ArtistandArtteacher,LaTrobeCollegeofArtandDesign) http://www.honorbradbeer.com/

IhaveknownEllenBensonforthepastsixyearsduringwhichtimeshehasbeenboththesubject ofmyworkandarespectedpeer. Inthestudio,Ellenbroughtnotonlyenthusiasmbutanopennessofmindandwillingnessto contributetoandextendmyowninquiriesintothehumanfigureandcontemporaryportraiture.To thisendshewasgenerouswithhertimeandherenthusiasm,whichresultedinseveralstudiesand anexhibitedportraitofherwithLindbergGalleriesinMelbourne (http://www.paulwruiz.com/ruizart/pre2009.html#7) Ellenispassionate,tenaciousandspirited.Thisisevidencedinherownartpracticewhichhas exploredarangeofsubjectsandapproachesincludinginstallation,photography,drawingand painting.Shehasbeenableinherworktocounterbalanceherownconceptualinterestsalongside theverypracticalnatureofmakingart.Thisissupportedbyherowncuriositytowardsand awarenessofmaterials.InthiswayEllenhas(andcontinuestobe)asourceofinspirationtomein thedevelopmentofmyownwork. Ellenhasaninnateabilitytoenrichthepracticeofart(andbyimplication,arteducation)by expressingconsideredandintelligentperspectivesonthenatureofartmaking.Shehasakeen awarenessofcontemporarycultureandanappreciationofitsdeephistoricallinks.Asanartistshe doesnotshyawayfromtechnology,butembracestheopportunitiesitaffords.Throughoutthetime thatI'veknownher,EllenhasconsistentlyutilisedonlinenetworkstobuildcreativealliancesShe didthisbysharinglinkstoarticles,onlinegalleriesorreferencesofartisticmerit.InthiswayIhave foundEllentobeanaturalleaderwithaninfectiouspassion,someonewhoisabletoinfluence, guideandinspireothersinthedevelopmentoftheirowncreativepursuits. Allofthesetraitsbefittheseriousworkandchallengesofbeinganeducatorinthesetimes,butthey areonesIbelieveElleniscompletelyequippedfor,andIhavenohesitationinrecommendingher foranyfutureteachingposition. PAULWRUIZ,ARTIST http://www.paulwruiz.com/

AsanartistIhavefoundEllen'sacademicinquiriesintoarttobesomeofthemost thorough,competentandinnovativeIhaveencounteredin20yearsasapractisingartist.I frequentlyuseEllenasatouchstoneartist,andinnearlyeverycasethatIcanrecollect,she hasbeendiligentandthoroughinherexplanation,orwhenneeded,herresearchintojoint projects,oraprojectIamworkingonalone.AboveallEllensvoraciousappetiteforanything artrelatedissomethingthatshemanifestsinabundantenthusiasmforimpartingartistic

knowledge. Ellenhasaninstinctforintegratingherimpressiveacademiccomprehensionoftheartsinto herownidiosyncraticpaintings.Thesepaintingsvaryfromexpressivefigurativepainting,to intriguinglycomplexgeometricabstracts.Ellenfrequentlyconvergesthesetwodifficult ideologiesinpainting,throughherwonderfullyarticulateandexpressivelandscapes,using theAustralianlandscapeaspersistentdialogue,whichshereturnstoagainandagain. JOSHBOWE,ARTIST http://www.artbyjoshbowe.com/

Iamhonouredtohavemadetheacquaintanceofthisremarkableartisttohavebecome herfriend,aswellasacollectorofherartwork.Anyschoolfortunateenoughtohaveherasa teacher,wouldbenefitfromherincredibleartisticspirit,resourcefulnessandherintellectof incredibledepth.Aspassionproducesresults,shewillbethatoneteacherstudentsrecall decadeslatersaying,thatteacherwastheonewhoreallyinspiredme.Havingseenthe mannerinwhich,inherrolesasartistsupportworkerandartisttechnician,Ellenwasableto fosteranappreciationfortheartsinstudents,waspartofthereasonIencouragedher decisiontoqualifyasateacher.Icommendhertoyou IANMACK,COLLECTOROFARTISTSWORK&FRIEND (DeepGreenEnterprises)