Today I'm looking at the artwork of Ashleigh Norrie! I first spotted her work as part of the 'Coterie' show with Elaine Forrest & Jo McIntosh at Foodstory back in 2018. I've been following her insta ever since and have been really enjoying her output.
Ash works across a range of mediums with a focus on abstract designs and patterns both on paper and fabric. Using embroidery hoops, she stretches segments of fabric, selecting specific areas which highlight the colours and shapes of her designs. It's cool to see where 1 piece of fabric has been chopped and distilled into 3 or 4 smaller pieces with shared colours and ideas but each still forming a unique piece. When featured by the Aberdeen Etsy team last year Ash said "My work explores mark making through a variety of traditional printmaking techniques such as monoprinting and screenprinting. These designs are often layered and overprinted to create organic and free flowing imagery. Each piece is unique and individual. The collection includes mounted prints, embroidery hoop printed textile wall art, brooches and framed mini embroidery hoops."
Although relatively small in their scale each piece when many of them are placed together they command attention. A wall becomes a mini cosmos full of splashes of colour and kinetic lines that whizz across the surface of each piece. There's also something really pleasing to the eye about the circular form of her work, I noticed its been a theme on my own instagram these past few weeks from circular architecture to vinyl records. The addition of hand stitched elements continues the ideas and shapes already laid down in the prints but continues the line, extruding it a little and adding a bit more process to Ash's work. I'm always interested in the artists process and what exactly attracts them to certain marks or motifs. Ash's work certainly provides a rich tapestry to immerse yourself in and her instagram page provides a great window into the development process. It's certainly been a joy to discover Ash's work and to see fabrics which hold their own against the slew of images we're exposed to on social media.
Be sure to check out Ashleigh Norrie's work below and be careful about looking at her Etsy page, its full of amazing art works and prints but really now is the time to be supporting artists and makers if you can. Support doesn't have to be about spending money either but simply following and liking their posts on social media or sharing it with your friends can give creatives a boost so show some support when you can. I'm off to check out Ash's Etsy page again, wish me luck!
