About

Ellen Mueller (she/her) has exhibited nationally and internationally as an interdisciplinary artist exploring issues related to the environment, hyperactive news media and corporate management systems. She creates experiences that engage with social and political issues through a variety of media.

Mueller has received grants from the Minnesota State Arts Board, Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, and Puffin Foundation. Artist residencies include Ucross Foundation, Santa Fe Art Institute, Nes Artist Residency in Iceland, Ox-Bow, Signal Culture, Playa Fellowship Artist Residency, and Künstlerhaus Lukas in Germany (full scholarship).

Mueller has published three textbooks: Elements and Principles of 4D Art and Design (2016, Oxford University Press), Remixing and Drawing: Sources, Influences, Styles (2018, Routledge Focus), and Some Social Practice (2020, Creative Commons). She also founded the CAA Conversations Podcast in 2017.

Mueller is the director of the MFA Program at Minneapolis College of Art and Design (MCAD). Previously she has been a member of the faculty at UMass Dartmouth, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and Colorado State University-Pueblo. She received her MFA in Studio Art from University of South Florida. She completed a BA in Theatre and Art, and a BS in Design Technology from Bemidji State University. Additionally, she has obtained performance training at Dell’Arte International and the Brave New Workshop.

Featured Work

Elements and Principles of 4D Art and Design

2016

Elements and Principles of 4D Art and Design is a core text for 4D foundational studies, offering students an accessible and hands-on introduction to the new elements and principles of time-based art. Suitable for both majors and non-majors, the book begins by reviewing basic aesthetic concepts and the principles and elements of 2- and 3D design to help students make connections between more familiar art forms and the new world of 4D design. Through a range of exercises and activities, students will hone improvisation, brainstorming, and critical thinking skills while gaining experience in a range of technologies related to 4D design such as simple video and audio recording and editing.

Other Works

  • Some Social Practice

    2020

  • Remixing and Drawing: Sources, Influences, Styles

    2018