Martha Ellis, an East Lothian artist, was commissioned to design and create a unique public art piece which now takes centre stage in the grounds of Queen Margaret University.
Made possible by donations from members of the QMU community, the engaging artwork was unveiled in 2025 to coincide with QMU’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
Artist Martha Ellis, a resident of Musselburgh, was selected out of a pool of applicants to create the piece which can be enjoyed by students, staff, visitors and the local community.
The aim is to capture the people and activities which make up QMU, both from the past and present, creating a piece that will inspire all who visit, study and work at the campus.
Martha Ellis is a visual artist with a passion for showcasing a ‘sense of place’ in her signature ‘cut-out’ drawing style using sheet metal. She is known for her unique wall mounted and free-standing artworks which she creates in her studio in Edinburgh. With a background teaching art and design in schools, over the years she has enjoyed developing her use of laser cutting technology to create bold and stylised cut-out artworks.
Martha introduces the effect of light and shadow, by mounting the drawings slightly off the wall or with her free-standing pieces which have shadows that move with the changing position of the sun. This unpredictable element to the work is a playful contrast to the clean bold lines of the cut edge - a deliberately interactive and living aspect to her art.
The piece for QMU was one of her first public commissions.