Multi-skilled artist and arts worker Ellie Anderson likes to keep busy. She can most often be found at the Work-Shop studio in South Brisbane, a lofty co-working warehouse that Ellie works from and also manages, hosting classes and managing a community of likeminded creatives. While Ellie is first and foremost an artist, having studied Fine Art at the Queensland College of Art, running art spaces is something that has always come instinctively to her. Upon graduating, Ellie was part of a collective that started their own art space, supporting the local creative community as well as exhibiting and selling their own work.
Since completing her studies, Ellie’s art practice has been inspired by various cultural influences, and particularly by travel. Soon after graduating, she developed a compelling collection of detailed hand-drawn works, merging elaborate patterns with flora and fauna, subtly referencing the tensions between global societies and nature. Ellie then moved onto her ‘Pull of the Moon’ series, featuring the lunar phases, which she explains was inspired by the cultural works, textiles, and natural environment in the Oaxaca region of Mexico.
When she discovered emulsion silkscreen printing (aka screenprinting) in 2010, Ellie was incredibly excited! ‘Screenprinting is a liberating medium that allows so much,’ says Ellie. ‘But it’s a technical process, so at times it can take away the romance of art making!’ she laughs. In her newest screenprinted works, she’s started using bold shapes and geometric motifs on textiles and prints. Occasionally these shapes are layered with her smaller, intricate style illustrations, combining macro elements with her signature micro detail.
Ellie’s art practice calls on her more introverted side, but her personable nature makes her the ideal host for Work-Shop, where she helps a diverse group of attendees feel relaxed and ready to learn. ‘I feel very blessed and balanced in the work that I do,’ says Ellie with a smile.
Ellie’s prints can be purchased from her online shop. And you can pop into the Work-Shop Brisbane space to take a peek in person!
