BIOGRAPHY

Born in Torrington, Connecticut, Ellen Murphy Dougan grew up in a world of gardens. Her father was an avid gardener. Surrounded by farmland and woods growing up, nature has remained a strong element of the artist's life and work.

The play of light, the emotion of color and the dance of line are subjects in her work.

A resident of Manchester for more than thirty years, Dougan graduated from the University of Connecticut with a degree in painting and a concentration in ceramics.  Upon graduation, in partnership, she opened a ceramic studio, creating hand thrown pottery and ceramic tile.

Returning to work on canvas, Dougan’s one person shows include Naugatuck Community College, Norman Stevens Gallery in the Homer Babbidge Library of the University of Connecticut, the Canton Artist Guild. She has also shown in group shows at State of the Arts, Hartford, CT., John Slade Eli House, New Haven, CT,  and the Old Lyme Art Association, to name a few. Her art is in corporate and private collections in the United States, Great Britain and Germany.  

Dougan, a former President of Connecticut Women Artists, Inc., has taught painting at the Litchfield County Art Association, and for the continuing education programs at both the local high school and community college. She was an art teacher at St. James School in Manchester for five years.

A professional picture framer for over 30 years, Dougan is the owner of, E. M. Dougan Art and Framing, at 1071 Main St. in Manchester, CT. Past framing projects included the Calhoun Cardiology Center and the Institute of Living.