Bio

As an illustrator and artist, my practice is a journey into themes of storytelling, folklore, nature, environment, history and heritage through multiple mediums. I believe that nature connection is key to encouraging pro-environmental attitudes. We can restore our connection with nature through exploration of storytelling, folklore and land enchantment; continuing to build on folklore as a living tradition, unearthing ancestral land knowledge and using it to address modern issues. I am particularly interested in Scottish folklore and history and the way that it relates to land and perceptions of nature. Much of my work is rooted in this concept; I visualise it through detailed ink drawings, watercolour paintings, printmaking and ceramics. Each project is underpinned by a desire to conduct explorative and thorough research to immerse myself in the subject matter.

Merman, Old man, seaweed
𝘚𝘳𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘯𝘢𝘮 𝘍𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘎𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢, Ink on Board
Standing stones
𝘊𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘪𝘴, Ink on Board
Sea, cliffs
𝘔𝘶𝘪𝘳, Ink on Board
Mermaid
𝘔𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘯𝘯 𝘔𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢, Ink on Board
Cuckoo
𝘊𝘶𝘤𝘬𝘰𝘰, Ink on Board
Cottage, Blackhouse
𝘋𝘢𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘪𝘨𝘩, Ink on Board
About the Project

My main final year project was an illustrated anthology of collected folklore and folk tales from the island of Lewis and Harris. The stories were collected through meetings with locals and storytellers on multiple research trips to the island, and from archival research at the School of Scottish Studies. I also made a drawing journal during one of the research trips, collecting colour palettes, pigments, materials for natural dyeing and observational drawings and paintings. The final book was a 60 page collection, a smaller version of the final book that I aim to get published or self publish.

Holding an illustration
Ceramics
Pottery
Ceramics in seaweed green glaze, hand built and wheel thrown
Pottery
Ceramics in green glaze and iron oxide, wheel thrown

Hester Aspland

𝘌𝘪𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘯 - 𝘍𝘰𝘭𝘬𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘓𝘦𝘸𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘴, illustrated anthology of Hebridean folk stories
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