Ellie Ibbotson

As a multidisciplinary artist, I enjoy incorporating my personal life with my artistic practice, employing a variety of mediums and communicating conceptually. I aim to bring forth honesty and vulnerability, and over the past few years have found myself working with themes of anxiety and memory to cope with and overcome my struggles with mental illness. I am gradually beginning to establish an identity for myself and my artwork, particularly in my most recent body of work I have found the confidence to embrace playfulness with materiality and making. With the use of nostalgic processes and adapting to unexpected outcomes in my experimentation, having faith in my abilities and taking risks has been a key element to my success. I have come to realise that it is essential for me to be conscious of my actions, to take the time to understand the language of my work and what each piece communicates. As my work isn’t confined to one particular context and challenges 'the quality' and aesthetics of contemporary art wherever situated, I have given my sculptures the chance to be presented and exposed in a multitude of spaces and situations - not just inside but also outside of the school of art. 

Beginning with visceral gestures of destruction surrounding the concept of ‘pinatas’, I have continuously developed the status of the work, later displaying large sculptural forms with particular readymade ‘props’ that support the narrative of my project. Within this portfolio, I have selected images that display the growth and evolution of my art practice over this past year. Particular opportunities have prepared me for what I have yet to face if I was to continue to pursue a career in art, and I now recognise that this is only just the beginning.