Ep. 432: How to Approach Wall Art with Mary Elizabeth Ellenburg

How to Decorate

Caroline McDonald

Arts, Business, Design

4.4 • 838 Ratings

🗓️ 23 September 2025

⏱️ 47 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Join hosts Caroline, Taryn, and Liz as they explore the artistic journey of Mary Elizabeth Ellenberg, a recently-added exclusive artist at Ballard Designs. Known for her expressive chandelier and floral paintings, Mary delves into her creative process and the influence of family and large-scale art in shaping her unique style. She discusses how her art beautifully tells personal stories while complementing interior design, adding depth and personality to any space. In this episode, discover the inspiration behind Mary's signature chandelier paintings, which vividly capture social gatherings. Mary shares insights into her process of creating grand scale pieces and custom commissions, emphasizing storytelling's role in her work. She also discusses upcoming color trends and her exciting collaboration with Ballard Designs, revealing her vision for integrating art into home décor. What You'll Hear in This Episode: 00:00 Introduction to How to Decorate by Ballard Designs00:35 Meet the Exclusive Artist: Mary Elizabeth Ellenberg01:17 The Inspiration Behind Mary's Art01:58 Exploring the Chandelier Paintings05:08 The Evolution of Mary's Art Career09:49 The Role of Family and Early Influences12:53 The Intersection of Art and Home Furnishings15:23 Creating Art with Personal Connections23:45 Collaborating in the Design Industry24:53 Upcoming Trends and Exciting Colors26:19 Exploring Color Combinations28:00 The Art of Storytelling in Design31:55 The Charm of Smaller Pieces34:07 Commissioning Custom Art42:47 Hanging Art: Tips and Tricks46:05 Conclusion and Where to Find More about Mary Also Mentioned: ⁠⁠Chandelier Art | Mary's Exclusive Ballard Designs Wall Art ellenburgchaircompany.com⁠⁠⁠ | Mary's Chair Company Website ⁠⁠⁠Shop Ballard Designs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ | Website Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone. Happy Decorating! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to How to Decorate from Ballard Designs, a weekly podcast all about the trials and triumphs of decorating and redecorating your home.
0:09.2	I'm Caroline. I'm on the marketing team. And I'm Taryn and I'm a product designer. I'm Liz. I head up the creative team.
0:14.8	We're your hosts. Join the expert team at Ballard Designs for tips, tricks, and tales from interior designers, stylists,
0:20.9	and other talents in the design world.
0:22.5	Plus, we'll answer your decorating dilemmas at the end of each episode.
0:25.4	We love answering your questions, so don't forget to email us at podcast at balauredesigns.net.
0:30.5	Now on with the show.
0:33.8	Today, we're thrilled to welcome one of our own exclusive artist, Mary Elizabeth Ellenberg,
0:38.7	inspired by Monet and growing up in a creatively enriched family. She's been painting for over 25 years.
0:44.4	Her work is characterized by bold brushstrokes and large-scale statement pieces that tell compelling stories.
0:50.1	You can see a collection of her paintings on our website, and we are one of your exclusive prints.
0:58.9	Like we sell exclusive prints of your pieces.
1:01.6	So I always think that's so fun.
1:03.4	Many people don't realize that we offer prints with real artists in our collection.
1:09.3	It's so cool.
1:10.3	It's so fun.
1:11.1	Thank you so much. I, welcome to the show.
1:12.2	Thank you so much.
1:13.8	I grew up here in Atlanta.
1:15.6	I've been a big fan of Ballard for years.
1:22.0	So to be able to have a collaboration with Ballard Designs is really exciting for me.
1:28.8	And it gets real original artwork, reproduced into the hands of my neighbor, hopefully.
	...

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