Anne-Marie Ellis is known for her fashion-infused acrylic paintings, which draw on her long and successful career in the fashion industry. Ellis’s paintings - which so often incorporate the classic contours of iconic perfume bottles - capture sensual emotion, for a twenty-first century feminine aesthetic. Here, we spend a day in the life of Anne-Marie Ellis, from an early morning swim to an evening aperitif.
MY ALARM GOES OFF…
and I wake up and smell the coffee – literally, as getting a fresh cup from my trusty Gaggia is the first thing I do. Normally everyone has left the house by 7.30am so at least twice a week I will go out for a swim. As a rule, I find exercise boring but eventually I decided I had better do something towards keeping fit so I learnt to swim, only a few years ago. Now I love the meditative quality of it.
(photo is the recent 10K milestone of coffees I have made at home!!)
HOW I STARTED LIFE AS AN ARTIST…
I painted my favourite teddy when I was about four and got so much praise for it I knew then that I had to do art for the rest of my life! At school I was encouraged to pick an area of the arts that may be more practical and so after doing a foundation in art I did a degree in fashion design.
MY TYPICAL DAY…
I will be in the studio most days painting from 8.30am until 4.30-5pm when I will have an hour of ‘art admin’ –posting on social media, adding to my website and doing invoices. I try not to do it in the day – especially social media – it is so easy to get distracted! Occasionally, I will get out for research, probably go to a gallery in London and meet my husband or friends after work.
MY MOST MEMORABLE ARTISTIC MOMENT…
I never would have thought that the first painting I would exhibit & sell, would be of my bra, and at an exhibition opened by HRH Princess Michael of Kent! I found that experience so rewarding and exciting, that it gave me the confidence to move to art full time. It was the Society of Women artists exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London in 2017. Since then I have exhibited every year with them, and last year won the people’s choice award. (Sponsored by Jackson’s Art).
THE WORST PART OF BEING AN ARTIST…
The isolation. Not having anyone to bounce ideas off - or just to chat to - can be hard, but in lockdown having a home studio and being able carry on came into its own! However, if it's sunny like today, the one of the hardest things is not being tempted to sneak out into the garden – this is my current view!
THE BEST PART OF BEING AN ARTIST…
Aside from being able to be creative every day, is the satisfaction when someone chooses to buy your art out of all the art available. It is like they are agreeing with your vision, your taste, how you view the world – you are not alone!
AFTER I CLOSE MY STUDIO DOOR AT THE END OF THE DAY…
I have adopted the ‘aperitivo’ hour from the Italians and do like a drink while cooking dinner – my favourite is a Negroni but it is usually a G&T – or even a good old fashioned sherry!
IF I WASN’T AN ARTIST, I WOULD BE...
I’ve had an alternative career as a fashion designer already; I had a company with my husband (who is still in fashion) consulting for luxury brands. There is a large amount of technical work in designing clothes but I loved the creative side. I would always end up using my own artwork for print and scarf designs and seized the chance to move full time to art two years ago.
