Richard Ellis is recognised as one of the foremost painters of marine natural history subjects in America. His paintings of whales hve appeared in Audubon, National Wildlife, Australian Geographic, Skin Diver, The Encyclopedia Britannica and many other notable publications. His book on sharks is now in its fourth edition. Ellis is the author of more than eighty magazine articles. He has since 1980 been a member of the U.S. delegation to the international Whaling Commission.