THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 1, 1995 TAG: 9509280192
SECTION: CAROLINA COAST PAGE: 27 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: Mary Ellen Riddle
LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
Let's get some things straight up front.
Ellie Grumiaux is not a female, and his name is pronounced grow-me-oh. The 67-year-old is used to this confusion.
But the sexagenarian doesn't let trivialities bother him; he says he's too old to worry. And probably too busy.
Ellie's a retired marketing director for the United Way of South Hampton Roads, a retired vice president of advertising for Kelvinator, and an art and advertising graduate from Richmond Professional Institute (now Virginia Commonwealth University).
But he is not, and never will be, just plain RETIRED.
Let's toss that misnomer out with the above confusions. Ellie's a real live wire, but in sheep's clothing.
He's probably best known on the Outer Banks for his weekly sketches that appear on the editorial page of The Carolina Coast.
His youthful attitude is evident in his lighthearted vignettes of ``old things.'' These sketches illustrate his love for nature, old cottages, trawlers and scenes from the coast.
His seasoned eye has helped his work. Honesty pervades his sketches. Words like endearing and whimsical, elegant and simple, all rise to the surface when describing the Virginia native's art.
These words also aptly describe the man behind the pen. When Ellie's around, the room is sunny. A gentlemanly sort who has no time for criticisms and plenty of time for witticisms, Ellie always has room on his calendar to volunteer in the community.
If you could package Ellie, the world would be as bright as his sketches of Corolla ponies, Wanchese trawlers, beach cottages and meandering dunes.
Ellie roams the coast like the wild horses, snapping pictures of flora and fauna to use in his paintings and drawings.
The artist says he's too old to draw on location, but he does take all his own photos. Ellie loves tugboats, and he would probably do more sketches of them if folks were as fond of them as he is.
Visitors to Roanoke Island and the Manteo Art Gallery on the waterfront have the opportunity to watch Ellie paint. He is also a water colorist who specializes in landscapes. It's his chosen medium.
While Ellie works with great skill and feeling, he doesn't see himself as a gifted artist. He's says he's lucky, and this luck as been present throughout his life.
In his youth, Ellie was exposed to the water and boats.
``I grew up on the water crabbing and fishing,'' he said.
He had his first formal art training at age 12 from Charles A. Morrisette. He also studied with a Norfolk watercolorist.
``Kenneth Harris was the foremost watercolorist in the Norfolk area,'' Ellie said. ``As important as his art, was his philosophy.
``I think there was an honesty in his paintings. He didn't fake things. He didn't gloss over them.''
The artist says he learned empathy from a Richmond Professional Institute professor who ``came through the Depression.''
While at school, Ellie found himself creating with those lean years in mind. He learned to paint signs - no help wanted, no free lunch.
He remembers some of the Depression himself. His father had three jobs, selling vanilla extract on top of running a service station and running a photo service. He also sang in the church choir, and played in an orchestra.
Along with other skills, his father ``was a great public relations man.'' Another gift passed on to Ellie.
Ellie was introduced to community service by employer Harry Price Jr., an appliance industry leader.
Prior to his alliance with Price, Ellie hadn't volunteered much. At Prices', volunteering was a given. This began Ellie's lengthy relationship with the United Way.
Ellie's work is showcased at the Manteo gallery, Seaside Art Gallery, Morales and Corolla's O.B. Style. He recently produced the 1996 ``Outer Banks Sketch Book Calendar.'' And his time of late has been filled as a co-chair for the Dare County Arts Council's Artrageous Art Extravaganza.
Yes, Ellie has been lucky. But his life is a lesson to us all on returning what has been given.
Ellie learned his lessons well. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARY ELLEN RIDDLE
Ellie Grumiaux' youthful attitude is evident in his lighthearted
sketches of Outer Banks scenes.
by CNB