Ellie Evelyn Orrell

Finding joy in simplicity is the red thread running through the work of artist Ellie Evelyn Orrell. “My work is always aiming to disentangle everyday moments into a simplified language of drawing,” she says and describes her motifs as familiar scenes that could easily slip by unnoticed.

Ellie often uses materials, she collects from newspapers, menus, leaflets and flyers to create her intuitive collages. It forces her to relinquish a certain degree of control and instead allows the colours and shapes of the work to be led by the material.

“I think creating in this way also creates a special connection between the work and the place I have collected the material from,” Ellie says and continues: “The art print Ramen Shop was made during a trip to Copenhagen, using materials collected in the city and sketchbook drawings from a ramen shop some good friends took me to.”

Especially food and scenes from the kitchen are themes that reoccur in Ellie’s artwork: From messy breakfast tables to restaurant visits. “I make a lot of work sitting at the kitchen table and I have always felt deeply inspired by the quiet joy of sharing meals or coffees with friends.”

Looking for a place of calm

Ellie grew up in a small village in North Wales. And although she moved away to study art history she has once again settled in the rural peace of the countryside in Wales. “There is something so peaceful about the slow rhythms of life here. Going for daily walks and watching the seasons change.”

The grounding sensation the countryside has on Ellie is allowed to shine through her work and creative process as well. Sometimes she will sit in cafés sketching, but most of the time she works from home. Enjoying the option to have a slow morning with plenty of coffee, a newspaper to be read that she will then sift through to look for pieces of colours to cut out and use as material.

On weekends she shares these moments with her family and takes long walks up steep hills. “I really appreciate moments that slow time,” she says. “They are gentle reminders to notice the beauty in seemingly ordinary things.”