Born in Findlay, Ohio in 1927, Elmore has resided on the Monterey Peninsula since 1950. He has a B.A. in psychology from Bowling Green State University. Joining the Navy after College he served in the South Pacific and in 1950-52 with the forces occupying Japan. After the war, he traveled extensively in Asia, Mexico, Russia and Europe. He lived and taught on the Isle of Capri before moving to Carmel where he had his own art gallery from 1950-1960


Elmore studied at the Academy of Advertising Art, San Francisco, California and studied with John and Patricia Cunningham at the Carmel Art Institute.


Elmore has been a member of the Carmel Art Association since 1957.