Edinburgh-based artist Martha Ellis set out in 2019 to document the effects of the changing seasons on wild grasses and plants found on the banks of the Whiteadder River in the Scottish Borders. The resulting body of work is showcased at Patriothall Gallery in The Cut Line – Martha’s first solo exhibition, which brings together the largest collection to date of her unique hand- and laser-cut drawings.

Comprising four drawings for each season, the show features Martha’s signature wood pieces cut with a jigsaw – an exacting technique using unique skills and knowledge of three-dimensional structure. By way of these pieces, Martha hopes to encourage the viewer to appreciate the natural world more fully.

A resident artist at Marchmont House, Edinburgh Academy and Dalkeith Country Park, Martha has exhibited her work at the Royal Scottish Academy The Society of Scottish Artists, the Royal Academy of Arts in London and the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, and has been shortlisted for numerous prizes around the UK.