Ellen Altfest

Ellen Altfest is an American painter. She is known for her realist paintings, which often depict close-up views of natural forms, such as plants, fruits, and human flesh. Altfest's paintings are characterized by their meticulous attention to detail and their use of traditional oil painting techniques. She works from life and takes a slow, methodical approach to her paintings, often spending many months on a single work. Altfest has exhibited her work in galleries and museums around the world, including the New Museum in New York City, the Whitechapel Gallery in London, and the Venice Biennale. In 2008, she was awarded the Rome Prize from the American Academy in Rome, which allowed her to spend a year working at the academy's studios in Rome.