Just before Christmas, we were delighted to be joined by Martha Ellis us at The Hollies Community Hub for at our last Healthy Brain Hub of 2024.
Martha came along to the to tell us about her artwork and a commission she’s working on for Queen Margaret University’s 150th Birthday. We settled in with a cuppa and a sweet snack to hear all about Martha and her work.
Martha told us she’s always been fascinated by the connection between art and technology. As an artist, Martha constantly explores new ways to express herself creatively and has experimented with different ways of creating art. Martha has used a wide range, including painting, sculpture, and photography. But it was when she discovered laser cutting that Martha felt she had found her artistic voice.
Laser cutting uses a high-powered laser to cut materials such as wood, metal, and plastic. Martha likes the precision and detail laser cutting allows and the potential for creating large-scale public art installations – like the one she’s working on for QMU.
One of Martha’s first laser cutting projects was a series of 16 brasses and wildflowers she saw on a riverbank in Scotland. Martha was inspired by the natural beauty of these often-overlooked plants and wanted to create a work of art that would celebrate their delicate forms and intricate details. The process started with a detailed drawing of each plant which she turned into a brass cutout.
Martha found the process captures the beauty of the plants in a special way and since then, she has continued to develop her art and her work has been exhibited in a number of galleries and public spaces.
One of Martha’s most recent community art projects is a large-scale sculpture for Queen Margaret University (QMU).
To create the sculpture, Martha has spent time getting to know the QMU community, going along to classes, meeting with staff and students, and taking hundreds of photographs. These form the basis of line drawings which are laser cut into three large panels. The final step will be to install the sculpture on the QMU campus. Martha is excited to see how the sculpture will interact with its surroundings and how the QMU community will respond to it.
Like us, Martha has a passion for community art and is particularly interested in working with communities that are often marginalized or overlooked. Martha believes art has the power to bring people together and create a sense of place. So in creating the work for QMU, Martha has also spent time with the wider Musselburgh Community. We were delighted to welcome Martha to the Musselburgh Meeting Centre where she worked with Members to create line drawings – some of which we hope will be part of the QMU panels.
Martha wants her work to inspire others to see the beauty in the everyday and to appreciate the importance of community. She believes that art has the power to make a difference in the world and is committed to using her art to create positive change. So do the Members who really enjoyed this experience.
Thank you Martha for involving us in your work and coming along to share it with the Healthy Brains Group. We look forward to coming along to see your art work in place in 2025.
We start the Healthy Brain sessions at The Hollies Community Hub on the 15th January 2025 at 10.30am. Anyone interested in getting involved or finding out more is welcome to join us!
See you there!
Sue