Ellen Rosalie Gunner

Becoming exhausted and fragmented mentally, physically and emotionally as a result of hardship causes a state of faded and fractured identity. However, hope acts as an anchor that tethers our broken selves together, allowing us time to rebuild anew.

Uphill is a series that responds to a time of personal endurance that fractured the outlook of my own being, causing a ripple of inner turmoil and faltered presence.

Collectively these pieces show a continuum of readjusted perspective through subdued pastel tones, obscured placement and colour translucency that mimics one's wave of hopelessness. However, each journeyed imagery is bordered by a vibrant glow of warmth representing the unwavering support from loved ones, grounding the existence of hope.

Drawn from a cherished childhood memory, the empirical paintings portray us kids pretending to be gold miners fossicking the hill for flakes of mica. The foil embellishments emulate the characteristics of the mineral, symbolising optimism and celebration of my new ascension.

Ellen Rosalie Gunner is a textile designer-maker who graduated with Honours in Textiles Design from the Australian National University, School of Art and Design in 2017. Reflecting upon her cherished memories of ‘Hygge’, she creates printed textiles and artworks that portray the time, feeling and atmosphere of when these memories were made. Ellen has received several awards and prizes, has participated in numerous group exhibitions and was a recipient of the Megalo Print Studio + Gallery, EASS Artist in Residence in 2018.

Uphill (Series), 2022
Acrylic paint and silver foil on canvas
$150 each

Image (Top) Ellen Rosalie Gunner, Uphill Series, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of the artist