This website is dedicated to the memory of its main champion, co-creator and dear friend, cousin and daily mentor
for nearly a decade, Chris Thackray, who went on his next "fun adventure" on 31 July, 2026.
Welcome to our new website
I hope you enjoy this brighter site with larger, clearer images of my and other artisans' works. Though it looks very similar to my old site, there are structural differences and we are still making adjustments. Please excuse our dust! Websites are always a work in progress, this one a little more so right now. I hope you find this new website is easy to navigate and enjoy. ~ Ellen
Note to International clients:
My website cannot accurately calculate international shipping with the present continuously changing customs. Please email or call for an exact quote. It is our understanding that most artwork is exempt from customs, but it is different for different countries, so we must check before giving you a quote. I, along with many others, hope for a better time.
Note to those who haven't visited in awhile . . . please click here for our location
About the artist
Painter, writer and gallery owner Ellen Rice is acknowledged as one of the Mid-Atlantic Coast's most collected artists. Working from her studio & gallery on the edge of the James Farm Ecological Preserve a mile inland from the Atlantic Ocean, her paintings and prints are an outpouring of her inner spirit and reflect a great love of the natural beauty around her and a vast array of interests.
"I think people connect with Ellen through her paintings. There is an intangible quality to her work that people respond to. It’s not just visual. Her work is truly beautiful, but it goes deeper than that. Her paintings touch you, something within you." ~ Private collector.
From her nationally bestselling Treasure Beaches of the Mid-Atlantic map and luminescent seascapes and landscapes to her touchingly lifelike human and animal portraits and inspirational Strength of Woman Series, her work is found in private, corporate, educational and government collections in 18 countries on 4 continents.
"Light is at the center of all of my paintings. A friend once told me to always be aware of what I was thinking while painting, that people viewing the work will feel those thoughts.
"Each brush stroke carries the thoughts and feelings of the artist behind it. A painting is so much more than technique. It's what brings smiles to people's faces and speaks to the heart .... It is my hope that others will feel the peace behind my paintings, sometimes healing messages, and be uplifted.
"Whether painting a glowing ocean sunrise, the light in a child's eyes, a vision seen in prayer, or a tiny songbird on a flowering tree branch, I endeavor to always approach my easel with a clear state of mind, and when finished, release my paintings with the hope that all viewing them will not only enjoy their beauty, but feel their peace, in many cases healing messages, and be uplifted."
Ellen is a lifelong self-supporting full time artist. To best experience her work, you are invited to visit her studio in Ocean View, Delaware, meet with her in the place where she creates, and further your exploration of her work in person.
"Winding Peace." oil on canvas (sold) of the marshy back bay area of coastal Delaware.
Centrally located on Delmarva, Enjoy Art & Nature while Visiting the Studio
Overlooking the eastern side of the James Farm Ecological Preserve on the outskirts of Ocean View, Delaware, Ellen's purposefully-built studio is filled with natural north light from a long wall of floor-to-ceiling windows facing north and skylights.
It's the ideal light for painting and viewing Ellen's original paintings, works in progress, prints of her more than 180 fine art prints of the coastal region and beyond, and her inspirational Strength of Woman Series, in addition to perusing small gifts featuring her paintings. It is also a wonderful place to watch passing wildlife, like deer and a variety of coastal birds.
Proximity to nearby resort towns. The studio is two miles on a couple of quiet roads from Coastal Highway, the Delmarva coast's main coastal thoroughfare, which takes you to these main resort towns. Travel time is given for non-peak-season days.
Bethany Beach - 4.4 miles and 10-15 minutes
Rehoboth Beach - 14.6 miles and about 25 to 25 minutes; Lewes - 20 miles and 30-40 minutes from Lewes;
Fenwick Island - 9.5 miles and 15-20 minutes from Fenwick Island,; Ocean City, Maryland -18.3 miles and 30-35 minutes
Assateague and Chincoteague Islands and their ponies - 29.2 miles and 45-55 minutes. Note to all who visit the islands of "Misty" fame, please "Drive 15 for Susi". Susi is one of three island horses struck by cars this summer.
"Seclusion," oil on canvas of Pasture Point Cove on the western side of the James Farm Ecological Preserve. The preserve and its wild inhabitants have found their way into Ellen's oil paintings. From her studio bordering the preserve's southeastern side, she frequently observes deer, egrets, heron and even bald eagles.
Celebration Series of 25 rare small paintings passes the halfway mark
"Swirling Sea", a 6" x 12" Celebration Series oil on canvas of sea spray flying over and around the south jetty tower at Indian River Inlet (sold). Prints available.
Ellen's Celebration Series of 25 small original paintings is past the half way point, with less than 10 in this limited series remaining to be painted in this strictly limited collection.
These paintings are inspired by memories and the many thousands of reference photos Ellen has taken during her life on Delaware's coast, along with a few other subjects from beyond this area.
She rarely paints this small, so they sell quickly. The majority of her Celebration Series paintings have sold either in progress or immediately after release to her eNews subscribers.
You can keep up with them on the Celebration page or to have the earliest opportunity to purchase her new series pieces as they come off her easel, sign up for alerts about them at the bottom of this page. Be sure to select your subject(s) of interest. What you sign up for is all you'll receive news about, and we never share subscribers' information, ever.
Autumn's subtle beauty and peace at the shore and on canvas
Portraits and peaceful scenes of uncrowded beaches are among Ellen's favorite subjects to paint, sometimes both in the same painting, as in The Best of Friends below. The quiet majesty of the coast after the summer crowds have gone is wonderful inspiraton..
"The Best of Friends", oil on canvas, a portrait captured from a mother's treasured photograph of her now-grown children.
At right, in "Evening Stroll", two sets of footprints combine into one along the Delaware coast in the quiet beauty of autumn.
đź“ž To inquire about bringing a special memory, portrait or favorite scene of yours to life in a painting, email or call (302) 539-3405.
Collecting Originals & Prints and Commissioning Works of Art
For those in search of original paintings, the studio showcases Ellen's most recent paintings and in-progress works. To receive first-alert notices about debuting works before they go public, sign up for specific alerts at the bottom of this page, noting your area(s) of interest. Commissions for private individuals, businesses, corporate entities, and non-profits may be commissioned on a limited basis. Call for an appointment to discuss your ideas.
A growing collection of nearly 200 fine art prints of Ellen's original paintings of the coastal region and beyond, her Strength of Woman series, and gifts featuring her paintings can be purchased at the studio, on this website and by calling the studio.
Ellen's Small Gifts include handmade porcelain ornaments, journals, coffee mugs, keepsake boxes, mousepads, bookmarks and clocks, Her fine art prints start at $45. There are numerous gifts under $50.
Hand-embellished, custom size, large reproductions on canvas are a step between an original painting and a giclée reproduction on fine art paper. They look like and are treated the same as original oils on canvas. When framing, no glass or matting are required. Ellen individually hand-embellishes each of these archival works. As with all of her limited editions, each comes with the painting's story and certificate of authenticity.
The studio accepts all major credit cards (in person, online, and by phone), as well as Apple Pay and checks. We also offer layaway for larger purchases. Commissions are paid in stages. See our policies here.
Ellen's email subscribers are the first to know
To be among the first to receive notices about your personally selected areas of interest - from new original paintings and prints to special events and special offers - subscribe free to Ellen's eNewsletters at the bottom of this page.
We normally send out about one eNewsletter per month, sometimes less, sometimes a little more depending on news we think you'd be interested in. We respect your privacy and do not share or sell your information to anyone ever. Be sure to note your specific areas of interest when you sign up, and that is all the news you'll receive.
A Few of Ellen's and her Gallery's Awards
“Best Artist, Sussex County, Delaware” (2025, 2024, 2016, 2015, 2014) by Coastal Style Magazine •
"One of Delaware's Best Beach Artists" by Delaware Today Magazine • “One of Delaware’s Top Ten Most Collectible Artists” by Delaware Beach Life Magazine • "One of the Top 10 Must-See Galleries and Museums in Delaware” by the international The Culture Trip • White House Easter Egg Artist representing the State of Delaware • "QVC's Quest for America's Best" representing the State of Delaware • "PNC Financial Artist of the Year” Commission Award • "Beebe Healthcare Commission Award" for the South Coastal Cancer Treatment Center Lobby • "Great American Paint-In Artist" representing Delaware • "NICHE National Top Retailer Award Finalist" by The Rosen Group.
Most collected paintings and prints this month
Take a Virtual Tour of the Studio
Enjoy a brief, behind-the-scenes look at Ellen's creative process, her newest collections, and the peaceful, light-filled atmosphere of her coastal Delaware studio.
Note: This video features a previous web address at the end, but you are currently in the right place! You can explore most of Ellen Rice's available art directly here at www.ellenrice.gallery and in the gallery portion of her studio.