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David Ellsworth Tall Inverted-Ovoid Vase, 1981, box elder burl, 12 3/16 x 8 9/16 inches. Collection of the ASU Art Museum, gift of Edward Jacobson.

Influenced by his surroundings, including objects from other cultures and the variety of materials he uses, Ellsworth translates thought into forms that evolve through the integration of the material of wood with the process of turning. He prefers to work in series where he can continually explore ideas, challenge new and existing concepts, and create a broader visual language for his artworks.

David Ellsworth received his MFA from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 1973. Eight years earlier, he had studied architecture for a year at Washington University, St. Louis. His work is in the permanent collection of the American Craft Museum, the Philadelphia Art Museum, and the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. His bowls have been featured at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta and the Musée des Arts Decoratif in Paris. Ellsworth has lectured widely, and received fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Pennsylvania Council for the Arts. He is a lifetime member of the American Association of Woodturners.

Work by Ellsworth is in the current exhibition Turning Point: Inspired by the Edward Jacobson Collection. (See Exhibitions)