Ellie is a passionate young artist inspired by, and dedicated to, animal welfare, protection and conservation. In her work she strives to celebrate the joy which animals bring to the world; their individuality, vitality, diversity, intelligence and their fascinating biological interactions. She explores how animals react to the world and their environment, representing their character and spirit.
Exhibited at Animate will be nine portrait paintings, each representing an animal that is critically endangered. 50% of proceeds from this series ‘Critically Endangered Species’ will be donated to the World Wildlife Fund. The motivation for the paintings is to draw attention to the serious ongoing threats facing our wildlife, and raise awareness for the crucial work carried out by WWF UK.
"I have approached the project in an imaginative and creative way in order to engage people and bring each animal’s identity closer to the public. I am interested in infusing traditional and historical elements of portraiture, namely the composition of the head and shoulders, with more bold, wild portraiture styles, such as the expressionist portraits of the early twentieth century. I am also inspired by Andy Warhol’s striking silkscreens from the 1980s which depicted near-extinct animals. I believe that as portraits the paintings will go further than an anonymous picture, inviting the audience to engage in a more intimate and direct way."
Ellie has a keen interest in both painting and illustration, and on sale there will also be humorous, wacky anthropomorphic illustrations printed on to posters, cards, t-shirts and bags.
