William Ellisworth Artis was born on Febuary 2nd, 1914.He was born in a small town, Washington, North Carolina. This is where he stayed for his childhood life. He was treated as an average kid. He really had no problems in his life. He was a very successful man in his art industry. Many people respected him for his work and he was well educated on what he did.
He lived in New York City, and Mankato,Minnesota. He focused mostly on ceramics but also sculpted clay African American figures. He was a student of the Harlem community art center and also studied with Augusta Savage and Selma Bruke, at the University of New York from 1946 to 1947. Artis achieved his Bachelors Degree in Fine Arts, and went on to receive his Masters in Fine arts from Syracuse University
In Artis’s early work, he was awarded the John Hope Prize and the Harmon Award. His sculptures and fixtures are prominently displayed at many universities, corporate offices, and personal collections including the gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.
Artis started his educational career an associate professor of ceramics and sculptor from 1964 to 1965, at Chardon State collage in Nebraska. He later went on to be a professor at Mankoato State College.
Artis died in 1977. He lives on today in his art.
