Martha Ellis: Artist in Residence at Berwick Academy
Throughout the 2025–26 academic year, artist Martha Ellis has been embedded within the life of Berwick Academy, working closely with pupils, teachers and the wider school community to explore creativity, identity and place. The residency has culminated in the creation of a permanent artwork inspired by both the school and the rich heritage of Berwick-upon-Tweed, leaving a lasting legacy for future generations of students.
For Martha, art begins with observation. Drawn to the people, landscapes and wildlife she encounters every day, she uses drawing as a way of documenting and understanding the world around her. Her distinctive practice transforms detailed observations into bold cut-out forms, using positive and negative space to create striking images that are produced through both hand-cut and laser-cut techniques.
Returning to a secondary school environment as an artist has been particularly significant for Martha, who first developed this approach while working as an art teacher in London. Her time at Berwick Academy has offered a unique opportunity to reconnect with education from a different perspective – sharing her professional practice while learning from the students, staff and community she has met along the way.
The residency concludes with an exhibition celebrating a year of collaboration, creativity and connection. Alongside Martha’s own work, including a series of portraits inspired by members of the school community, the exhibition features artwork created by students through workshops, weekly sessions and the Academy’s newly established Art Club.
At the heart of the project is a belief that access to professional artists can inspire young people to see new possibilities for themselves and their creativity. Throughout the residency, students have been encouraged to experiment, develop new skills and create work to a professional standard. The resulting exhibition showcases not only Martha’s artistic journey, but also the confidence, imagination and achievements of the young people who have been part of it.
As Martha reflects:
“Working with a real-life artist can be life-changing for students at secondary school age. Learning new skills and being shown what is possible beyond school education is hugely important. The role of Artist in Residence is an opportunity to share in the responsibility of educating and inspiring potential future artists. I have high expectations of the students I work with, ensuring they create high-quality artistic outcomes during my time at the Academy.”
The exhibition will be on display at The Maltings at Hide Hill from 23 June to 2 July 2026, open daily from 11am–3pm. Visitors are invited to explore the artwork created during the residency and discover the stories, people and places that have inspired a year of creative collaboration.
