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Katie Ellis

Fiber, Visual / Media

Her most recent phase of work focuses on her lived experiences and visually processing the world around her. Using the pictorial medium of tapestry, Katie translated these experiences into works of fine art.

About the Artist

Katie Ellis is a contemporary weaver located in Dorchester County Maryland. Her most recent phase of work focuses on her lived experiences and visually processing the world around her. Using the pictorial medium of tapestry, Katie translated these experiences into works of fine art. Currently, Katie is a middle school Art Teacher, she believes that teaching is an important part of her art practice. "My students constantly inspire me to take risks and experiment with my art." Katie graduated from Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) with a degree in Graphic Design and a concentration in Curatorial Studies. 

Katie Ellis website Portfolio Website

Artist's Statement

Artist Statement: I began weaving in February 2020 as a way to take a break from exclusively digital creations. During Covid, weaving became my safe haven, a place to slow the otherwise chaotic world, and my mind, down. Currently, weaving makes up my entire artistic practice. The slow and tedious nature of the loom allows me to reflect on current events, my everyday surroundings, and other life experiences,  as well as a way to untangle my thoughts.  In a way, my weavings serve as a living diary, reflecting day-to-day life. 

Featured Work

Photos

This zipper pouch is constructed from handwoven cloth and features an overshot design. Each one is fully lined; perfect to use as a travel kit, or to hold pens and pencils, cosmetics, or really anything else!
Woven using a cotton warp and weft this scarf follows the traditional overshot pattern found in Deborah Chandler's "Learning to Weave"
A small selection of tiny tapestries that were created as a 5-month tapestry diary project. I wove a small tapestry using my Hockett Hand loom each week to represent my overall mood for the previous week.
A sampler I use to describe different tapestry weaving techniques when I am teaching tapestry weaving.
Disappearing Blackwater is a conceptually driven piece to explore the concept of erosion and the disappearance of land. During 2020 while quarantined I took a significant amount of car rides and walks in Blackwater Wildlife Refuge, it occurred to me during one of those walks that one day the refuge might no longer exist due to rising water levels. I began collecting flowers and fallen bark on the trails. Once I collected enough materials I naturally died some cotton fibers to represent Blackwater. I wove stripes of the fiber into a wall hanging and hung it on a branch found on one of my walks. I did not create my dye to be lightfast so as the tapestry ages the color will begin to fade and eventually the tapestry will be all white, representing the potential for Blackwater to eventually be under water. Tapestry might look different due to the aging process of natural dyeing.