Women of distinction/Chapter 57
CHAPTER LVII.
MISS ELLA D. SPENCER.
Ella Spencer was born in New York City, her parents being well-known and highly respected residents. From a child she possessed an eye for beauty in color and form, particularly in birds and flowers, and when as she grew older and entered old Grammar School No. i, over which presided with gentle rule John Peterson, whose memory the children of a decade ago, though clothed in trailing skirts and lengthened trousers, revere with touching tenderness, her drawing teacher, Miss Newbery, noted with delight her aptness in that direction and devoted special attention to developing her very evident talent. After leaving school Miss Newbery, who had become not only her guide in drawing but a warm personal friend as well, feeling proud of the splendid promise of her pupil, registered her name at Cooper Union Art School. The first year the class of applicants was so large that Miss Spencer was obliged to wait for the following year. Though the authorities of the school did not know the young lady was colored, with the exception of a little show of surprise her work was so commendable no particular attention was paid to her from a prejudiced standpoint. Indeed, she was popular from the beginning of the term. From the drawing class she passed to that of casts, photo-color and crayon, the entire course covering six years. She received her diploma from the hand of that grand philanthropist, Peter Cooper, himself From the moment she emerged with her treasured testimonial she has occupied a proud place in the hearts of New Yorkers, where her work is well known and much sought after. It is a rare thing to enter a New York home without finding some specimen from Ella Spencer's brush and pencil, and now that her work stands for itself she quietly pursues the even tenor of an artist; works continuously, almost forgetting the social world around her, perfectly happy and contented with the result of her labor. And while she is well known as a crayon artist, she is kept busiest, especially holiday seasons, decorating a miscellaneous assortment of goods, Christmas and Easter cards, porcelain placques, fancy cushions, screens, plush and velvet draperies, sachets, fancy boxes, mirrors, etc. Among the portraits that established her reputation are a life-size crayon of Richard Allen, the founder of African Methodism, drawn for and exhibited at the centennial anniversary of the A. M. K. dispensation held in New York at Bethel Church, 1887; a life-size portrait of Bishop Dickerson, now in the possession of Mrs. W. B. Derrick. Her work is not confined to our people, for some time ago she made a fine likeness of Augustus Schell, the well-known financier, which was so well liked by his family that Mrs. Schell ordered it at a handsome price. Ever since she has been working among these people, one lady introducing her work to another, in such a way as to keep her employed all the time she cares to devote to the work.
Miss Spencer painted for the New Orleans exhibition a large water-color, entitled "A Summer Day in Pompeii." The rare delicacy of the work of this one picture has been claimed by many to be sufficient to sustain the name "Timid Footsteps." "The Alsatian" and a portrait of her cousin, all in water-color, are well known and admired by all who see them. A short while ago Miss Daly, her last teacher, attested her high regard for Miss Spencer as an artist by appointing her as her (Miss Daly's) assistant at her studio. Unfortunately her health, which has never been robust, failed her, and a trusted physician told her she would have to relax her labor else serious consequences would follow. About that time her mother purchased a commodious dwelling in Flushing, Long Island, a pretty rural town seven miles out of New York, and after a short rest she is fast regaining her health. Not yet in the prime of life, and judging by the work already accomplished, there is no reason that the race at large should not expect many brilliant things from her. She expects to have some work represented at the World's Fair.