Ellen Phelan
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Ellen Phelan

Ellen Phelan paints a vibrant glimpse of her life as a young painter in New York after having left Detroit. She was painting in a studio at P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center and exhibiting at the Clocktower while Michael Goldberg loaned her a loft on the Bowery. Jennifer Bartlett introduced Ellen Phelan to the "extremely spoiled" Joel Shapiro one night; Elizabeth Murray introduced her to the "Would you like to have dinner?" Joel Shapiro the next day. Phelan explains how bra burning might have played a role in her CalArts teaching post (under the invitation of John Baldessari). We learn that Edward Albee and Alanna Heiss vied for the same body of Phelan's work to exhibit.
(9 minutes)