There are the impressive imposing canyons of the urban jungle Manhattan. 

Then there are her quiet spaces. Whether large or small, oases of nature, offering calm and respite if only for a moment. Or a destination for the day. Places to let go of the bustling pace. To reflect. To let down one’s guard. To walk or run.

Whether the majestic sprawl of her famous Central Park or a quiet garden that springs to life as a beacon of the neighborhood. A gathering place. A place to meet. Along the way or for the day.

The streets around the park tell stories. Of people and neighbors, of small-town life in the big city. And the trees of Manhattan. Reflecting and reminding us of the four seasons, pushing through the stubborn concrete, softening the hard edges, twisting and winding improbably. Filled with character, as are her people.

There are stories to tell. Within and around the parks. Oil on canvas! 

Ellen Bradshaw’s work was influenced by the realism of the Ashcan painters, as well as the sense of color and atmosphere explored by the Impressionists. Ellen's usual subject is New York City. 

"I'm drawn to the common everydayness of life in the city, and perhaps what is hidden just beneath the surface of the ordinary. The reflective moody quirky streets of Lower Manhattan are my usual subjects - the neighborhoods, the personalities of her buildings, the majesty of her bridges, the streets transformed by snow or the colors of night, the lone figures of daily routine, the everyday intensity of the simple passing of moments against that in-your-face reality that is New York City.”  

Ellen has shown in numerous solo and group exhibitions and is the recipient of several awards. She has been President of Pleiades Gallery since 2000.