ABOUT ANDREA ELLIS

Ellis has arrived at her unique way of working after many years of experience as a designer, lecturer and artist; always collecting ideas in her sketchbook; an exhibition, journey or photograph can all be the inspiration for her pieces.

An idea often begins by taking apart an image digitally, creating layers. These layers then become separate silk-screens. Using dyes and innovative techniques on fabric she is able to work in a similar way to oil painting, adding and subtracting colour and texture.

The technique of devore, where the fabric is burned away with an acid paste, enables her to create deconstructed transparent images on two planes; the front image is sometimes enhanced or contradicted by the image behind thereby allowing her to explore ideas and create stories.

Her most recent pieces are encased in high quality acrylic glass, the addition of fluid oil paint and loose gold leaf gilding further enchances the pieces, which are hung onto a transparent acrylic support.

Ellis uses many of the same techniques on paper; using dyes and inks she is able to create the same luminous, transparent colour washes by hand which are overlaid with opaque detailed prints. The accuracy of the screen printed image is juxtaposed with expressionistic gestures and marks.

Ellis’ work is widely collected and exhibited through galleries and art fairs both in the UK and France, where she is currently living and working. It is also featured in the book “Textiles, Art of Mankind” by Mary Schoeser.

Ellis' work is also featured inThe Homo Faber guide (the Michaelangelo Foundation) as a Master Artisan Textile.

Commissions from private clients and interior designers are welcome ; short courses can also be arranged in the studio in south west France, near Biarritz.