Please allow me to introduce myself, my name is Robert Elliot. I am a designer/artisan working in the areas of liturgical, residential, commercial, and public spaces. I formed Art Effects LLC in 1995 and have since formed Robert Elliot Studios in 2018. Some of the noteworthy sites I have had the honor to be involved with include “The Pride of the Plains” exhibit at the Sedgwick County Zoo, the Fidelity/Carnegie Library renovation, and many of Wichita’s oldest churches including St. Anthony’s Roman Catholic Church. More importantly, as I mentioned earlier, I identify with Chester I. Lewis and his mission of equality. This is evident in my work history. While working on St. Anthony’s, I was commissioned to design the interior of the church in a way that represented the historical design accurately, while creating an environment that was harmonious to three separate catholic cultures: the traditional Latin community that had been a part of the church history for over a hundred years, the modern Post Vatican II community and the Vietnamese immigrant community who now represent the majority of the congregation. In addition, being tasked to reflect the modern aesthetic of the day while being true to the function of the church and its historic roots. I accomplished this through research, working directly with the stakeholders (various church groups and the Diocese of Wichita), the architect, various contractors and a custom-tailored group of artists and volunteers. The method was a success and is the model for most all my public endeavors.

 

I studied decorative painting at the Pardon School of Specialist Decoration under its founder, Leonard Pardon, one of the most highly renowned artisans in the field. I had the good fortune of studying well and apprenticing with him for many years. Leonard is gone now, but his legacy lives on through his work and that of his students.

 

You may find this of interest, my family has a long history here in America. My ninth great grandfather, John Eliot, was known as “The Apostle to the Indians” and was the founder of the Roxbury Latin School in Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1645. He planned towns for religious converts where the people could preserve their own language and culture and live by their own laws. His respect for the native population and all people was evident when he donated 75 acres of land to support the Eliot School and required that the school accept all ethnicities without prejudice, which was very unusual at that time in history. The school continues to this day with admissions of all ethnicities and now includes lifelong learning. This legacy has had a lasting impact on me and inspires my work as an artist and my sense of community involvement.

 

As a designer, my role is to listen, gather information and then make appropriate recommendations based on the findings and the needs of the stakeholders. I assist in creating the vision, and do not dictate what that vision will be. I hand select individuals who will work alongside me based on their talents and skill that are required and necessary for the greatest possible finished product. Many of times, we have worked together for over a decade. I also like to foster new talent and provide opportunities for artisans to learn new skills.

 

In closing, it is my firm belief, that every great civilization is judged by its artistic and cultural legacy as much as any other accomplishment. It is through our art that we reflect upon our collective spirt. To this end, every environment we create is significant and worthy of our best efforts… especially our sacred public spaces.

 

Sincerely,

 

Robert Elliot

Designer/Artisan

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