Ellie Roberts

The core of my work is on the marks and lines made on cloth and paper by stitching though a process of free motion (machine) embroidery. I made the backgrounds to the work by a variety of processes including hand weaving, stitching and sewing with a variety of cloths and fabrics, as well as reclaimed paper (particularly book pages). My work explores emotion and the narratives of emotion. As a trained ancient historian, having written several books on ancient Greek religion and mythology, these themes are ever present in my work and though these ancient myths and ideas I explore ideas of my own emotional turmoil as a woman diagnosed with Bipolar and Borderline Personality Disorder. Although sometimes my work responds directly to ancient works, sometimes these are just points of inspiration in a longer development. I tend to work in series rather than one-off pieces, although each of these is a stand-alone work. Much of my work is monochrome, presented in tonal colour schemes.