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Charles describes himself as
a self-taught artist, but gives much credit to his formal training
in animal anatomy and his years as a veterinary surgeon. His
sculptures show his dedication to realism and detail, yet he
says his goal is not to “re-create nature but to show the
art in God’s creations.” "I enjoy creating art
in memory of all the wilderness experiences I have had, including
being charged by an unhappy grizzly in Alaska and a nose-to-nose
stare down with a rutting bull moose in British Columbia."
Charles has been sculpting and producing limited edition bronzes
since 1997 and was an award-winning wood carver prior to that.
Currently he is working on a set of hand-carved and painted "tub
toys" (miniature working decoys) for his son, Gus.
Charles is an avid outdoorsman
and licensed Maine guide,
spending as much time as possible in the many wild places of
North America. He has travelled to nearly all the continental
United States and several Canadian provinces. He was an active
volunteer veterinarian with the Washington Department of Fish
and Wildlife and has been involved with hundreds of hours of
hands-on elk management and relocation projects. A life member
of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, he has served as a committee
member with the Kitsap Chapter in Washington, the Upper Yellowstone
chapter in Livingston, Montana and the Maine chapter. Dr. Ellithorpe’s
art donations have raised more than $10,000 for the RMEF to help
the foundation’s habitat and wildlife conservation efforts.
Currently, Charles’ work
is featured at Beth
Carlson's Gallery in West Bath, Maine and Richard Boyd Art Gallery on Peaks Island,
Portland, Maine and can be found in private collections in Washington,
Alabama, Oregon, Montana, Colorado, Texas, Maine and Mexico.
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