Elsie Witham: A Painting Instructor Remembered

Study, done on cardboard, for Deale’s painting of the Salisbury homestead on Christian Ridge Road

Her name was Elsie Witham, and her home and studio were at what is now 20 Main Street. Still today, the house sits at the top of a long, steep embankment. Eric Hooper recalls that “mowing her lawn was not for the faint of heart.” Eric also took lessons with Elsie. Chuck Freda was reading comments about Elsie online but had “forgotten her name until I saw the description of the long steep steps.” Judith Crowley recalls:

Seems to me I remember walking to art lessons after school, carrying our school books and art gear. It was quite a workout lugging all that stuff up Bridge Hill and the umpteen steps to Mrs. Witham's.

Wayne Murch remembers that “Mom would drop me ar the bottom of Bridge Hill and I would drag all my stuff up the hill and climb those mountainous steps!” Jason Cave says that “Miss Witham was amazing! I remember the walk down the stairs outside, sitting in the dining area, taking your paintings to the cellar way to hang until next week.”

Roberta Keep noted that Elsie’s house had been the Curt Brown house. Patricia Jones now owns the house: “My younger brother and I took lessons from Mrs Withum every Saturday morning. I was 14 and he was 8 ... our family now owns the house and it’s so strange to walk through there after all these years.”

Karen Blaisdell and her sister Kris were both students of Elise Witham's for a couple of years in the early 1960s.  Karen remembers climbing that long flight of stairs with her Grumbacher sketch pad tucked under her arm. 

I also remember that when she wanted to demonstrate a better technique on an oil painting she would do so on the piece I was working on.  As a child I felt very irritated that she was changing MY painting.  That never bothered my sister.  One of my paintings was of birch trees and I gave it to my grandparents who lived in Wilson, NC.  They hung it in a prominent location in their livingroom. Just a few months ago I was talking with my cousin who lives in Winston-Salem and he mentioned the painting and told me how much he loved seeing it when he visited Granny and Grandaddy.

According to Karen, another student of Mrs. Witham's was William (“Billy”) Silsby III, who died in April 2022. 

Billy took lessons from her for many years and went on to study art and theatre at UMO but eventually studied to become a nuclear med tech.  Kris and I grew up at 295 Main Street, and Billy's family lived diagonally across from us on the corner of Main Street and McKenzie Avenue.  I'm not certain but I believe that Billy did a painting of the First Congregational Church. 

Patrick McDonald, co-moderator of the popular “Growing Up in Ellsworth” Facebook page, has many memories of Elsie and her home:

Elise Witham lived near the foot of Bridge Hill, just up from those two iconic houses (whose photos I posted recently) at the top of a very long and steep stairway. However, the driveway to her house was off the end of Youngs Avenue, right next to my family home. So my mother had a very easy walk to the Witham house for her regular painting lessons.

Gary McFarland has memories of his painting lessons with Elsie that have remained with him throughout his adult life:

I also took lessons from Mrs. Witham. Actually I took them at the same time with Richard Small. I still have my paint box that Richard's uncle Dick Linscott made for me. My mother Marion McFarland and my grandmother also took lesson from her. Just whithin the last year I have started painting again. And I am now learning pinstriping for my antique auto shop.

Sarah Salisbury’s memories hit differently, adding depth to the portrait of Elsie:

I took lessons too. But my memory is not really a good one. She “touched up” my paintings after I finished them. I remember not being proud because I knew it was was not my work. It made me feel like I was not good and it killed my desire to paint for years.

From the April 14, 1948 Ellsworth American.

One Teacher, Several Dogs

Students remember a variety of dogs present during their lessons.

Sandra Connors remembers a dog named “Inky.” Martha Davis Murch remembers a cocker spaniel named "Cinda." Melanie S. Brown remembers “her cocker spaniel named Holly.”

Deb Fortier Newman recalls:

She lived in the bottom floor "apartment" where she taught lessons. She had cocker spaniels that would wonder around while we painted. On Saturday mornings I remember she had four students, two set up in her living room, one on the kitchen table, and one in a little sitting room off of the kitchen. I think I was 10-12 when I took the lessons.

“Elsie” or “Elise”?

Says Clark Sealy:

I took classes from her starting in 1957. I believe her name was Elise Witham? I remember she once reprimanded me for drawing in pencil around something in oil paint. I was just 7 years old but I never forgot that. I'm still doing art today … photography, printmaking, and acrylics, not oil painting!

Terri Weed Cormier and Jill Pimetel also remember the instructor’s first name as “Elise.”

The Kitchen Sink

Says Martha Davis Murch:

We would set up to paint in her kitchen and I remember her telling us to "carefully pour the turpentine into the sink drain," but by the looks of the sink there were a lot of misses! Although I no longer paint, her lessons on perspective, shading, color and technique have been invaluable in many other areas. The Ellsworth Public Library hosted showings of her students' works.

Judith A. Crowley also remembers the caution about the sink! “I think I might have been one of the misses!” she admits.

The Ellsworth Historical Society wishes to thank everyone who contributed their memories and impressions of Elsie.