Meet Ever Evolving Artist, Ellen Chides-Neuberg

Meet Pittsburgh Center for Arts and Media Ever Evolving Artist, Ellen Chides-Neuberg:

“I have discovered, in these over 50 years as a painter, mark-maker, color enthusiast, and social animal, that I need to express myself with paint. I studied and taught piano and theater. I was a musical director. I built stage sets at Syracuse University 20 hours a week as a theater student and learned to love the physicality of the arts, as well as the beauty and emotions they encourage. I received a BA in psychology at age 52 at Chatham College and interned in art and music therapy at Western Psychiatric Hospital in Pittsburgh. I owned and operated GalleriE CHIZ in Shadyside for 22 years, representing over 200 artists from all over the world. 

[My experience with GalleriE CHIZ] helped to enhance my appreciation for international cultures, diversity of people, opinions and lifestyles, for which I am grateful. I am finally a full time artist, allowing myself the time and opportunity to concentrate on and experiment with my own work. I have always been busy, life is busy, and I seem to “let it all out” on canvas. Painting is a personal and “alone” activity and takes me into another dimension. My paintings historically have been abstract and reflect much of my background and lifetime experiences. They often manage to tell a story, present a conundrum, or a social commentary.

My daily art process is simple. I start to paint. The painting grows. Each addition determines its direction. I love color, shapes, some recognizable, some not; diverse images and colors that I encourage to live together, to marry, in the boundaries provided by the canvas. 

This is the time to enjoy what one can, and I am somewhat selfishly attempting to do this while I am able. My paintings show and feel this journey."