Michael D Ellenbogen

Michael D Ellenbogen photographs people, the landscape and architecture with both documentarian and abstractionist sensibilities. Often, his visual textures and color composition are inspired by the school of color field painting, using the camera as a painter would use a paintbrush. When he isn’t photographing something, he is likely creating mixed-media sculptures, art frames and bespoke designed home furnishings from wood, metal and concrete using a vast array of power tools at his disposal.

He was born in New York City in 1966 (a great year, as far as years go) and spent the better part of that year being towed around Washington Square Park in a little red wagon. He was not consulted when the family decided to move to upstate NY around 1969, but was introduced to black and white photography and had access to his father’s darkroom from a very early age. He studied art, film and literature at the University of Vermont.

Ellenbogen has been producing a documentary feature film that traces the history of the iconic Four Seasons Restaurant’s 57 years in the Seagram Building. His feature film production, Margarita Happy Hour, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2001. He spent 15 years working in film production and distribution in New York City and has programmed, produced, and juried film festivals since 1993 including the Brazilian Film Festival in Miami, the Florida Film Festival, the Woodstock Film Festival, Ashdod International Film Festival (Israel), Manchester International Film Festival (VT), Gen Art Film Festival, and the Shorts International Film Festival.

Michael is married to another artist, Carolina Ellenbogen, and together they run Ellenbogen Gallery and Studio in Manchester, VT.