Ellie Swanson - Maker Monday sJune

Ellie Swanson

​Ellie Swanson is a letterpress printmaker & potter from Rhode Island. After graduating from the University of Vermont in 2021 with a studio art degree, she has completed a number of work-study programs and internships to further her craft education. She has been a work-study student at Penland School of Craft, NC, and The John C Campbell Folk School, NC, and an intern at Power & Light Press, NM, and Hatch Show Print, TN. She has also been a winter resident at Penland, and a resident at Directangle Press, NH. Outside of these experiences she works at Mills Creek Market, in Cross Mills and the South County Museum.

​You can find her on instagram @starsheepz

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Where are you from, and what do you make?
​I'm from South Kingstown and I make prints & pots. Letterpress printing is my favorite form of printmaking. Both my ceramics and printmaking practices heavily involve carving. I print mainly with linoleum cuts, and my favorite method of ceramic surface design is sgraffito.

How long have you been seriously pursuing art?
​I have been drawing and making for as long as I can remember. However my current mediums are ones that I started to pursue more seriously after graduating from college in 2021 as a studio art major. I’ve been really fortunate to have participated in two workshops at Penland School of Craft as a work-study student - one in ceramics and one in letterpress. These classes greatly influenced my current making processes and love for craft schools.

What inspires you to create?
​I am inspired by other craftspeople, storytelling, and being outside.

Which artist outside of your chosen medium has had the most impact on your art? What do they do and in what way do they influence you?
​I really love animation. I’m always inspired by artwork and films from Studio Ghibli and Cartoon Saloon. Both studios draw a lot on natural landscapes, and folklore. Ghibli’s Howl’s Moving Castle and Cartoon Saloon’s Song of the Sea are two of my favorite movies. I love any story with magic in it, and I try my best to bring magic and whimsy into my work.

Is there a work of art that has changed your life or how you view the world in some way?
​The most recent works of art that changed my life are the trolls by Thomas Dambo at Ninigret! The scale of his work is so impressive, and it is so cool to see how far artworks and artists can reach across the world and bring people together.

As a member of SCAA, what do you like most about us?
​I love the pottery studio, which is how I first became involved with SCAA. My grandmother, who passed away when I was in elementary school, was very involved in the pottery studio. She loved the space, and I like working in there because it makes me feel connected to her. I also love the resources and classes that the studio provides.

Tell us a joke.
​A frog took a genetic test to learn more about his ancestry. The results said he was a tad-polish.