As a young artist, Sipho began her art career by painting junk items and transforming them into treasures. Sipho is a self-taught artist however, she attended the University of Columbia, in Columbia MO for one year studying arts & science in 1989. She continued painting while working full time in the Medical and Telecommunications field. It was later in life that she began pursuing her passion seriously to become a professional artist.
2005 A YEAR OF LIFE CHANGING EVENTS
In late 2005 Ella Sipho had two life changing events that happened. She had a hemorrhage stroke that put the right side of her body in paralysis. She couldn't walk, feed herself, cook or write with the right side of her body and numerous of other things. Sipho had to change the way she paints in order to continue painting by using her left hand most of the time. Before the stroke she was right handed and painted effortlessly. Now the majority of her painting is done with her left hand and not so effortlessly.
Before the stoke Sipho used both hands to manipulate the painting by twisting and turning the canvas. In addition, both hands were used for finger strokes and brush strokes with the right hand.
AFTER THE STORM
Currently, Sipho still paints primarily with her left hand. She manipulate the paint by twisting and turning the canvas with hardly no brush strokes. Her objective still, is color exploration combined with liquid manipulation outside the main stream to create beauty, flow, and movement. Sipho is getting better and can now walk but with a limp, feed herself but not gracefully. She credits God for getting her through STILL.
VICTORY AFTER TRAGEDY
Sipho did not let her disability keep her down. Sipho became the recipient in the First Ever Red Carpet ARTV Premier Fine Arts Awards on Oct 29th, 2005 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Sipho was the recipient in the Painting -Acrylics Category. She almost did not make the awards as she was just discharged from the hospital after being there six-weeks. And had only a week and half to prepare for the awards in Las Vegas.
"It's my goal and desire to use both hands, but through it all, I'm just happy I can still paint".
ART LIVES ON
Sipho has exhibited throughout the United States in New York to California. Internationally in Canada, Sofia Bulgaria, Ferrara Italy at the International Videoart Festival and the Florean Museum in Romania for the International Experimental Film Festival. Awards in include ARTV Award Recipient, the Frontice Piece cover award with New Art International Annual 2003-2004 edition, Regional River Market juried by Debra Singer with The Whitney Museum of American Art (cash award) and the Manhattan Arts merit award. Publications consist of Art World News Jan 2006, Who's Who in American Art 2005-2006, 2005/2006 International Encyclopedic Dictionary of Modern and Contemporary Artist 2005 & 2006, New Art International, Direct Art, and Gallery & Studio.
