Rodger Ellingson

Rodger Ellingson came joined the Board of the Harvey Dunn Society in 2025 after many years of attending the Harvey Dunn Paint Out as an artist.

He attended Augustana College (University), got his BS from St. Cloud State U in Mn, and received his MS in Rehabilitation Counseling from Montana State University/Billings. Though Rodger took a few art classes along the way he is mostly a self taught painter, noting some help from surrounding artists.

Born in Sioux Falls, Rodger moved around with school and jobs taking him to Minnesota, Montana, Wyoming, and the Black Hills of SD. He is a retired teacher but has also worked at summer camps, as a compliance officer and firefighter with the US Forest service in the Black Hills and Wind River Range in Wyoming. Rodger notes that these various life settings have influenced his choice of subjects in his art. He is married with one son and presently resides back in Sioux Falls.

Rodger usually paints smaller watercolors and acrylics plein air. He paints around easter SD, the Black Hills, and other settings from Yellowstone to Lake Superior. He often pints larger acrylic studio paintings based upon these smaller works. His art can be seen at the EastBank Art Gallery, NV Studio, and art and plein air shows around the region.