Hello, Iām Ellie!
Iām an artist, educator and creativity coach based in Cumbria with almost 20 years experience of sharing the creative process.
As an educator/workshop facilitator I make imaginative, high quality art experiences and resources to encourage both creativity and a love for natural history. I am passionate about designing accessible workshops that inspire curiosity, wonder and imagination, as well as sharing skills that empower people to becomes creators themselves.
My past clients include Butterfly Conservation, Cambridge University Museums, Lakeland Arts, Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Lancaster University. I have also worked for many celebratory arts companies including Horse + Bamboo, Handmade Parade, Thingumajig Theatre, Ulverston Lantern Festival and Candlelit Walk. I have also been artist-in-residence and worked with many schools across the North West, taught on Art & Design courses at college level, as well as running workshops for undergraduate students and CPD sessions for teachers.
My qualifications include BA Fine Art from Goldsmiths College London, MA Art As Environment (focusing on community and socially engaged practice) from MMU Manchester and Level 4 Certificate in Education & Training. I am also a trained in Creativity Coaching and ADHD coaching, plus I have a Level 2 in Counselling Skills.
I have completed multiple trainings in Safeguarding and the Keeping Children Safe Online course with the NSPCC. I have Public Liability Insurance, Public Indemnity Insurance and maintain a yearly up-to-date DBS check.
CREATIVE WORKSHOP FACILITATION
š· Jennie Dennett/ Candlelit Walk
Over the years I have delivered creative workshops to people of all ages in many different settings. While I have worked extensively in Infant and Junior school settings, I have also worked in inter-generational community settings, with young people and adults with disabilities and on projects that engaged people from across the community.
Art forms I have taught include:
Illustration (including expressive, narrative and scientific).
Paper arts (papercutting, paper sculpture).
Pop-up books & paper engineering.
Collage & mixed media.
Book binding/ making.
Puppet making (shadow, glove, table top, basic marionette and giant puppet making).
Stop-motion animation
Model making & miniature making.
Art doll making.
Printmaking (child friendly, lino, collograph, dry point).
Mask and costume making.
Celebratory arts (lantern making, large-scale puppets, costume, flag, banner & sign making).
Themes often include the environment and ecology, natural history and social justice, but I am also keen to respond to a brief and the needs of the community I am working with.
āEllie Chaney is an extremely dedicated artistā¦Since knowing Ellie I have been impressed not only by her commitment to her practice but also in her initiative to run her own art workshops and community art projects that share her skills and inspire others through art.ā Loren Slater - Director, Signal Film and Media
š· All photos Ellie Chaney. Diorama made with artist Vanessa Card for Horse + Bamboo.
COMMUNITY ART MAKES
I also create giant puppets, flags, banners, costumes, performances and installations for community events. I love working with people and collaborating with other artists to create art experiences that evoke magic, encourage activism and build community. Using recycled and sustainable materials is also an important aspect of this work, and I use scrap stores and donated materials wherever possible.
āEllie Chaney has created truly magical installations for Candlelit Walk for over 10 years now. Her makes are richly anticipated every year as she takes the theme to create something entirely unique for this Halloween community event. Sheās used her talent for intricate illustrations and impossibly fine papercuts to make outdoor shadow screens on fabric featuring a botanical cast of poisonous plants, moths and deep-sea wonders. Sheās also created a sculptural swarm of wax-dipped moths and glowing miniatures, including a witchās house that led to a commission. Ellie has run well-attended community workshops, safely helping young and old cut satisfyingly complex creations that went on to be proudly displayed and admired at the event. Sheās a fabulously talented artist to work with who can conjure something beautiful from any creative brief.ā Jennie Dennett, Candlelit Walk
š· Window painting - Thea Jackson. Giant fish - collaboration with Sara Charlesworth/ Rachael Weaver et al. Crow shadow screen - Tracey Escolme. Moth installation - Jennie Dennett. Moth performance - S.R.Miller. Hoop/ constellation cape - Lindsay Ward. Clown costume - Rowan Borthwick/ The Community Spark Project.
WORK WITH ME
My freelance daily rate is Ā£200 a day, but I can also discuss a lower fee for charities and schools with limited budgets. I am experienced in writing funding applications, so I am always open to collaborating and contributing to bids for funding to enable projects with a longer engagement.
If you would like to have chat about how we could work together please get in touch at info(at)eleanorchaney.com.