My name is Abigail, and I am a mixed-media artist exploring themes of regional folklore and fairy belief through my practice.
My work takes inspiration from trends such as the wartime 'fairy fever' as well as literature, pantomime, historical folktales and accounts of fairy experiences taken from my region of birth, Yorkshire. Through my work, I reconnect with my own childhood fantasies whilst exploring these rich regional histories of supernatural belief. This project investigates the sense of hope that fairy beliefs can bring, engaging with a curiosity and whimsy that is often criticized and dismissed in adulthood.
Much like opening one's mind to the impossible and embracing imagination, I approach making with an open mind, allowing new ways of working to steer my work. Three modes of making have predominantly emerged: printmaking, textile work and illustration. Each method is methodically similar in the intricacy, patience and dexterity required, which reflects core traits of my subject. The theme of revealing the invisible and reconnecting with heritage and memory is prevalent in my methods.
