Ellsworth Augustus Ausby

Ellsworth Augustus Ausby (April 5, 1942 - March 6, 2011) was an African-American visual artist and educator known for his abstract work and experimentation with supports and surfaces.

For a time, he worked as a waiter in the famous Slugs’ Saloon, where he crossed paths with Salvador Dalí, saw Sun Ra perform, and witnessed the shooting of Lee Morgan.

Ausby had four children and was married twice, first to culinary anthropologist Vertamae Smart-Grosvenor,[2] and then to activist artist Jamillah Jennings, with whom he founded Nefer International Gallery.

He often used unstretched canvas in his work, which would be attached directly to gallery walls and other structural supports to create dynamic three-dimensional shapes for exhibition.

[6] In 2005, Ausby was commissioned by the MTA to design the stained glass piece Space Odyssey, which is now installed at the Marcy Avenue station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.