Ellie Kirby lives and works in the mountains of Southwest Virginia. She has enjoyed doing art since childhood, when she was enchanted by watching her grandmother paint. Her favorite media are watercolor and wood block prints. The beauty of nature and the scenery of the Blue Ridge Mountains are her biggest inspirations. She often gets ideas while working in the garden, hiking in the mountains, or canoeing on the New River.

In 1979, Ellie graduated from the University of the South with a B.F.A. She also has a teaching certificate in art and a M.A. in Educational Media from Appalachian State University. She has worked both as a full-time artist and as an art teacher. Her work can be seen at a variety of galleries, craft stores, and festivals. She has been a member of the Southern Highlands Handicraft Guild since 1986.

Ellie and her husband Roald live on a farm near Troutdale, Virginia. They have two grown daughters. In their spare time, they enjoy playing fiddle and banjo with the band The Southfork Ramblers.

Portrait Photo by Rosy Kirby