About the work:

Ellie’s practice has evolved this year toward creating experiential work rooted in art therapy techniques. She focuses on materials and different ‘methods of attachment’. In art therapy, the therapeutic process is the focus rather than the aesthetic quality of the artwork itself. However, the aesthetic experience—the inner perception of outward expression—remains significant.

The materials and how they are applied are integral to ‘Left hand free II’. The very substance of the materials can evoke different responses. Resistive media, such as oil and chalk pastels, which require pressure to be applied, stimulate cognitive responses, while fluid media, such as paints, flow easily, triggering affective reactions. She has used her non-dominant hand and tools such as a palette knife to create this work. The non–dominant hand connects with the inner child and activates both hemispheres of the brain, resulting in thinking differently and promoting creativity.

About the work:

Batik is an Indonesian technique of wax-resist dyeing on cloth.