Into the Artist's world with Eska Marsh
This month i interviewed Bristol based artist Eska Marsh. Here's a little insight into who she is and her art practise. Enjoy!
Where are you from and how has that place influenced your work?
I am from the south coast of England, a small town called Christchurch. I loved growing up by the beach. The town has an excellent quarter of vintage and antique shops that I became obsessed with at fourteen, when I worked in a local art shop. I’d earn my wages during the day, then dash across the road to spend them on some hole-ridden vintage jumper, usually met with an eye roll from my mother.
Fast forward eighteen years, and I now find myself making prints of woolly jumpers and vintage shoes! A love for unique objects and antiques, nurtured from a young age, continues to shape and inspire my work today.
Did you go to art school or self taught?
At 16 I went to study at Arts University Bournemouth (2010-2012), before going on to complete a degree in Contemporary Craft at Falmouth University (2012-2015). I’ve always been happiest making things and knew I wanted a creative path of some kind. It still feels a bit surreal that this is what I get to do every day. In 2020, a friend introduced me to drypoint, which propelled my illustration practice into something I could finally envision within a gallery context. I would have loved to of studied printmaking at university, but perhaps it’s even more exciting to discover and develop a discipline at one’s own pace.
When are you most creative? A certain time of day? Year? /Are you an early riser or a night owl?
I’m definitely a night owl and tend to work late, though I also enjoy the rare mornings when I make it to the studio early. I often feel most inspired after the summer, and by September I usually have lots of ideas I want to explore for future shows. January can also be a good time for developing new work, as things are often a bit quieter. Last January I spent two weeks on my first artist residency in Ireland, which gave me some much-needed time and space to focus. It helped me make a new body of work that I later showed in the spring, and I’ve decided to return again this January. Although I’m lucky to have a studio of my own in Bristol, the experience of the residency reminded me how helpful it can be to step away from everyday routines and responsibilities and allow ideas to develop without distraction.
List five of your favourite artists/designers/makers
Impossible to just pick five but huge influences on my work in no particular order:
Egon Schiele
Louise Bourgeois
William Scott
Ben Nicholson
Cornelia Parker
What are you working on at the moment?
I’m currently working on new pieces for London Art Fair (January 2026), where I’ll be exhibiting with Milieu Studios. I’m excited for the opportunity to show this work in a new setting. Alongside this I have ongoing development for collections scheduled for exhibitions next spring and summer.
Tell me about a time when you were creatively stuck. Why and how did you get out of it?
Oh gosh - all the time! I feel like I have too many ideas but sometimes I can’t quite visualise of how to get there. I’m lucky to live in a city with many artist friends. Jay Harper and Tom Morris are incredible painters, and when I feel stuck I’ll meet up with them or send absurdly long voice notes so we can bounce ideas around. I really value that, it’s like our own group crit.
What do you find the hardest about being an artist?
Definitely the business side of things. As all artists, we just want to spend the whole day creating but I find I spend half the day writing emails or organising couriers. I’ve definitely got a better understanding of how to keep on top of things now but no one teaches you this! It’s something you just have to learn along the way (and sometimes the hard way!)
What do you love most about being an artist?
My point of view. As artists, we perceive the world differently. We pick out colours instinctively, arrange objects into small, everyday compositions, and even approach something as simple as preparing food with an eye for form and harmony. For me, creating balance is essential, it turns the ordinary into something intentional and meaningful. I also love that when the world feels a bit bleak, I can walk into my studio, shut the door and get lost in creating.
What’s an unexpected influence? Something which gave you a surprising jolt of creativity and stimulated your work?
I have always worked with a very limited colour palette, often focusing on silhouette, and for many years my work has centred on objects found in the home. In the summer of 2024 I visited Tate St Ives and it subtly shifted the way I began to think about my still life work. Encountering the paintings of William Scott, Terry Frost, Alfred Wallis, and Ben Nicholson in person had a quiet but lasting effect. Although I had studied these artists as a student in Cornwall, returning to their work years later and experiencing it directly offered a deeper understanding. Standing in front of the paintings, I became more aware of the sensitivity of their compositions and the considered use of space and restraint. Rather than prompting a dramatic change, the experience encouraged a more reflective approach to my own practice. It led me to look more closely at how I arrange forms, how colour might be used (or lack of) with greater intention, and how subtle shifts in composition can influence the overall tone of a piece. Being with these works allowed something to gently fall into place, and since then my still life work has developed through a quieter, more attentive way of seeing.
What is your favourite medium to work in and why?
Without a doubt, drypoint and carborundum are the mediums that best translate my ideas as I envision them. However, as a printmaker, I’m often constrained by scale, whether it’s the size of the plate, the paper, or the press, which sometimes makes me want to turn to painting instead. I frequently imagine my ideas on a much larger scale and think they might ultimately work better as paintings. One of my goals for next year is to begin painting more regularly.
