Early Life, Family and Training

Born in London on 13 July 1885, Ellis Silas grew up in a household where creativity was a daily presence. His father, Louis Silas, worked as an artist and designer, providing a natural environment for a child interested in visual expression. His mother contributed a different kind of artistry to the home, working as an opera singer. This blend of visual and performing arts shaped the atmosphere of his early years in England.

His formal education began with private tutors, but his true training took place within the walls of his father's studio. It was there that Ellis Silas learned the fundamentals of his craft, working closely under the guidance of his father. He eventually moved beyond the family studio to study under Walter Sickert, a well-known artist of the time. These formative years in London provided the technical foundation that would follow him as he eventually moved toward the sea and distant shores.

Military Service and Wartime Experiences

When war broke out, Silas left his life in Australia to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force in October 1914. He served as a signaller with the 16th Infantry Battalion, a role that required him to maintain communication lines amidst the chaos of conflict. On 25 April 1915, he landed at Gallipoli. During those difficult weeks on the peninsula, he kept a diary and a sketchbook, capturing the immediate reality of the campaign through his drawings.

The physical and mental toll of the front was heavy. After suffering from enteric fever and neurasthenia, he was evacuated to Egypt. His health did not fully recover, and by August 1916, he was back in London, where he was discharged as medically unfit for service. Even while struggling with his own recovery, his sketches from the front lines reached the highest levels of society; in May 1916, his drawings were viewed by King George and Queen Mary.

His wartime observations were eventually shared with a wider audience through his book, Crusading at Anzac, published in 1916. This collection of his experiences provided a direct look at the hardships faced by the soldiers he served alongside. His sketches from this period remain significant records of the conflict, held in collections such as the Australian War Memorial.

Travels and Career in Australia and New Guinea

In 1907, Silas left his native London and sailed for Australia, seeking new landscapes to capture. He spent several years moving through the country, finding inspiration in the light and life of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide. Eventually, he settled in Perth, where his presence in the local art scene grew. During his time in Sydney, he worked as a commercial artist and contributed various articles and cartoons to the Bulletin.

A significant shift in his life occurred in 1922 when he sailed for the Trobriand Islands in Papua New Guinea. He joined a three-year expedition, serving as an artist to document the region. His time among the islands left a lasting impression on him, leading to the publication of a book titled A Primitive Arcadia, which shared his observations and sketches of the islands.

Marine Art and Later Career

Upon returning to England in 1925, Silas shifted his focus toward the sea. He found his calling as a marine artist, a path that allowed him to capture the movement and character of the English coastal towns he loved. His work from this period reflected a deep interest in the maritime world, moving away from the intense sketches of his wartime years toward the steady, rhythmic life of the coast.

His professional life became closely tied to the era's travel and transport. He was commissioned by various shipping companies to create works intended to hang within the grand halls of ocean liners. Beyond these private commissions, he contributed to the visual landscape of British travel by producing a series of posters for British Railways. These works often featured depictions of places like Ayr, Redcar, and Filey, bringing the imagery of the seaside to a wider public.

In his later years, Silas continued to paint from life, maintaining a connection to the water until the end of his life in 1972. One such work, HMS 'Wave' Ashore at St Ives, was painted about 1952. Through these later paintings and commercial designs, he remained a steady observer of the sea and the vessels that moved across it.