J. Milford Ellison was born in Sioux City, Iowa on September 16, 1909, and studied at numerous schools including Chicago Academy of Fine Arts, Chouinard Art School, and San Diego State College. After working as a commercial artist in Chicago, Ellison came to San Diego in 1928 and worked as a freelance artist. He graduated from San Diego State in 1932. He later taught in local public schools from 1933 including Point Loma High School and Western University. Ellison died in La Jolla, CA on November 21, 1993. In this interview totalling 54 minutes, Ellison discusses his early life and education, and his various jobs including advertising work, printing for the San Diego Union, and as an engineer in charge of camouflage and boobytraps for the Army during World War II. He also reminisces over other local artists, and his own artistic influences including Millard Sheets, Edward Bowden, and W. Phillips.
