Ella Merriman is an artist, designer and craftswoman based in London. She works with rush, a traditional basket weaving material, to create pieces that she describes as being ‘love letters to nature’.  Her process of creation is a collaboration between the artist and material - as no human is the same, neither are the rush stems and Ella chooses to respect each one, working symbiotically with the plant to craft her work. As a Londoner with minimal access to the great outdoors, she believes that her practice reunites her with the land and she finds a deep sense of belonging and grounding within her making process. She was awarded the Basketmakers’ Award in 2024 and is based at Cockpit Studios in Bloomsbury.

Portrait photo credit: Onur Pinar