Richard Ellis, 86, Dies; Artist Whose Works Included a Museumβs Whale NYT: Science Michael S. Rosenwald 30 May 2024 at 23:29 Once called the βpoet laureateβ of deep-sea creatures, he melded science with art in paintings, books and a notable life-size installation in New York. Β© Tony Cenicola/The New York TimesRichard Ellis in 2012 at the American Museum of Natural History, in front of the life-size blue whale he helped build. In fusing his artistic flair with an encyclopedic knowledge of ocean creatures, Mr. Ellis became invaluable to conservationists and educators.