Abbie Lois is a Scottish illustrator, printmaker and storyteller. Her work is deeply rooted in folklore and myth; interwoven with the characters, landscapes and creatures which shape these stories. Her work is most often hand-drawn, and then screen printed.
She focuses most often on the stories of women, whether primordial goddesses, a loving mother protecting her children, or a fierce warrior from times long ago. The environment which hosts the stories she illustrates is often a vitally important inspiration for her work, calling attention to the inherent links between our land and its inhabitants to mythology and folklore, and the lessons that can be learnt from these often ancient stories.
She hopes that her illustrations and storytelling will help the viewer see the world around them differently; it’s not just a raven, it’s an Irish goddess flying to her next battle. It’s not just a mountain-top, it’s the nose of a giant in a great slumber. It’s not just an ancient tree, its a tree that once watched a long-extinct wolf lope by. Her hope is that by keeping these stories alive, it will help protect both the stories, and the landscape and characters which feature in them. Her work serves as a bridge between the past and present, and through her work she seeks to honour the traditions of storytelling, whilst reimagining them for a modern audience.
Printmaking is an important part of her process as an artist - she mostly utilises relief printing and screen printing in her work. She enjoys traditional processes which intimately connects the artist with the artwork - mixing inks by hand, carving an image, or pulling ink through a screen.
Available for commissions and workshops.
Awards
Hope Scott Trust Funding, 2020
Major Commissions
'Highlands' vinyl album design (ft Julie Fowlis and Ewan Henderson) for LUSH Spa, 2024
Residencies
PEATS Grampus Artist Residency (Participant) - 'Ancient Skills', 2020
PEATS Grampus Artist Residency (Leader) - 'Trails', 2021
PEATS Grampus Forest Guardians Residency (Leader) - 'Follow the Land' - 2021
Limerick Printmakers International Residency, 2021