Ellison Hoover

The following, submitted May 2005, is from Valentine Rossilli Winsey, Ph.D.

My grandfather, Alexander Hammerslough, who died in l966 at age 81, was a close friend of Ellison Hoover and his charming, good-looking wife. I was a dinner guest in their home in Greenwich Village on many occasions. During the early '50's Ellison had a one-man show in a gallery on Martha's Vineyard which consisted of his head drawings of many celebrities, including James Cagney. I, too, was privileged with one of his drawings of myself - several of which I still have.

It was a memorable experience to watch as Ellison swiftly drew an outline of my profile and entire head without once taking his pencil off the canvas. The result was breathtaking. I also have a number of his etchings, including one called "The Brooklyn Bridge". It's black and white and quite beautiful. So, too, are some of his delightful drawings he made while on a stay in Paris. Another is of the Washington Arch in Washington Square near N.Y.U., etc.

Ellison Hoover worked for The Brooklyn Eagle newspaper, which is, of course, no longer in print.

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A syndicated cartoonist for the 'New York Herald Tribune' and creator of 'Mr. and Mrs. cartoons for national magazines, Ellison Hoover was also a lithographer whose subjects included scenes of New York City.

He was born in Cleveland and studied at the Cleveland School of Art and the Art Students League with George Brandt Bridgman (1864-1943), from whom he studied anatomy including the drawing of faces. (Bridgman wrote a popular instruction book he titled 'Bridgman's Book of Hundred Hands, Features and Faces'.

Ellison was also a painter of landscape scenes and was member of the Washington DC Water Color Club. Exhibition venues included the Grand Central Galleries, Library of Congress, National Academy of Design and Mint Museum.

Source:

Peter Falk, "Who Was Who in American Art"

http://www.askart.com/artist_bio/Ellison_Hoover/66759/Ellison_Hoover.aspx