About Ellen Pipal:

 Ellen is currently a student studying graphic design at Elmhurst College. While her current work centers around graphics, she also has experience with many other media. When sje first began working with art, she often turned to drawing and painting. She absolutely loves working with watercolor, because she feel there is no substitute for its translucency and fluidity.

Ellen has also completed many public mosaic murals around Chicago, including one on 47th Street in Hyde Park, that measures 300 feet long. As an intern with the Chicago Public Art Group during that project, she helped many of the student artists and volunteers learn how to work with the tile. It was during that project that Ellen first learned how much she loves working with others and teaching art. She now teaches elementary school drawing lessons and hopes to possibly get a degree in Art Education in the future.

She has worked with art installations and sculpture work as a visual display intern at Anthropologie, which she believes helps her ability to perceive design in three dimensions. She also loves to sew, and recently started having my paintings printed on fabric to make into dresses. Her goal in the future is to continue to have a presence in the Chicago art world, while also spreading the beauty of art to anyone who needs it. Below, you can see a few pieces of the work Ellen has completed in the past 4 years at school.

Inspiration for golf ball design, watercolor 22” x 30”

Magazine Advertisement, 8.5” x 11”Watercolor, 20” x 18”

About “A Caring Chicago”

When I first saw this competition, I was very excited to be making something that reflected upon the Ronald McDonald House Charities and The PGA Foundation. In the past I have visited Ronald McDonald houses, and was always astounded at the care and love that they provide for families. When I saw the golf ball, I was instantly reminded of a project that I recently did this year for myself. In the painting that I did, there was a series of spheres that were cradled by ribbons of color, evoking a sense of comfort and security. I feel that same sense of reassurance when thinking about the Ronald McDonald House, and wanted to some how instill that idea into my design.

My design thus centers around making the golf ball a piece of a caring Chicago. It contains the historic skyline, bordered on the bottom by the lake, and the farming plains of Illinois. The swirls of color around the outside are reminiscent of sunsets on Lake Michigan, and also of fire works from Navy Pier. The two arms that come around to hug the entire image represent Chicago and all of its wonderful charities and services. Chicago is a supportive presence in our life, and helps us grow and learn. The variations of color demonstrate the diversity of Chicago, and the blending and gradation of color helps emphasize the mixing of cultures in our wonderful city.

I would hope to use just paint to complete my design. The ribbons themselves appear fairly fluid, but I believe that the facets or dimples on the golf ball will help to give an interesting texture to the design. In that way, the ball will retain its identity as a golf ball, but will also add a wonderful geometric taste to my mostly smooth design.