The Department of Fine Art at the University of Minnesota awarded ELLEN RICHMAN her B.F.A. in 1995.

RICHMAN'S multi-layered paintings are based on a design vernacular, with the abstract vocabulary in her work relating to patterns of native design, textiles and graphics, along with architectural references. She applies paint to her canvases in many thin layers, and her improvisational manner of working with multiple layers results in an organic, rich surface that has irregularities of pattern and vibrant color.

RICHMAN believes that the essential aspect of abstraction is that it conveys a universal language by removing concrete ideas and images from their context. For her, painting is an intuitive rather than a demonstrative process. Constantly re-painting, reorganizing, and bringing essential elements to the fore gives the layered textures an intensity of color and a sense that RICHMAN is taking everything in—the time of day, her distracted thoughts—as she reaches her own realizations.

While working, RICHMAN expects the painting to lead her into understanding its aesthetic needs. The end result allows the viewer to form a personal relationship with the visual information, reevaluating how one sees.