(M)OTHER exhibition, Leeds

Dedicated to all mothers, Ellie Andrews is excited to showcase her large-scale Portraits with accompanying words and preparatory working drawings to encourage us all to reflect on how society presents the concept of motherhood. Expressing the importance of open conversations and raw truths, Ellie’s exhibition (M)OTHER expertly captures snapshots of 5 women as they navigate life through the lens of motherhood.

Ellie Andrews’ journey from hospitality hero to artist is a captivating story of transformation: born into food via Bakery 164, then launching The Gallery at Munro House and Cafe 164, and finally, Cafe 164 in Headingley, before ultimately stepping away from hospitality.

Running in the background to her hospitality career was Leeds Drawing Club (est 2007), and now with a dedicated studio, an offering of drawing courses and classes, as well as teaching life drawing in schools, she is ready to establish herself as an artist with her first major exhibition.

Highlighting creative expression’s power in mental health, Ellie’s Portraits illustrate how uplifting women spotlighting other women can be. She compellingly demonstrates how the maternal experience can be “desperate”, “isolated”, and “all-consuming”, uncovering the toll motherhood takes on a woman’s personal identity.

Ellie Andrews says, “Throughout the first years of my daughter’s life, I found that accessing my difficult thoughts about motherhood and being able to process the challenging emotions through drawing is what has kept me mentally safe. No matter how sleep-deprived or ill I felt, I showed up to my easel and drew, and drew, and drew because I knew I would always feel better afterwards.

The idea of drawing other mothers came to me once I realised I wasn’t actually alone in my feelings, and I was able to combine my love of portraiture with my interest in spending time with other mothers.”

This exhibition sensitively captures moments between artist & sitter, showing that art can serve as both expression and therapy. The five women depicted in the exhibition, including Leeds creative and hospitality powerhouses Holly Kragiopoulos, Director of North Star Roast and Laura Wellington, Director of Testbed, Duke Makes & In Good Company are each at a different stage in their experience of motherhood. The once clear path of ambition bends under the weight of sacrifice, and all five women - Holly, Laura, Sara, Gwyneth, and artist Ellie - found themselves navigating their own mental health, their own ambitions, and a changing world under the new name of “mother”.

Laura Wellington says, “I’m thrilled to be part of the (M)other exhibition as it beautifully explores the dualities and complexities that so many of us experience but rarely have the opportunity to express.”

As part of the exhibition, critically acclaimed author and journalist Lucy Jones is performing a reading from her groundbreaking book, Matrescence, which examines the transition into motherhood and how it affects the mind, brain, and body.

Jude Rogers – Observer, “The best book I've ever read about motherhood. Myths are smashed from page one … Experimental flourishes - alongside all that beautiful, accessible writing - add to its majesty. Matrescence is essential reading, bloody and alive, roaring and ready to change conversations.”

Forming another event as part of (M)OTHER, Vic Wright-Jones and Melanie Hadida are hosting Body Image and Motherhood; a heartwarming and supportive discussion followed by a healing hormone support tea blend workshop.

Finally, Ellie’s fun and creative Portraits Workshop completes the poignant exhibition, working with a portrait model to gain insights into proportions and observation, as well as creative expression.
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Details and images supplied

Leeds Drawing Club, Unit C3 Flexspace, Burley Hill Trading Estate, LS4 2PU

Exhibition Launch:
Thursday 17th October
1pm - 3pm: Daytime Launch
6pm - 8pm: Evening Launch

More about Ellie in the link below