Elly MacKay


On That Small Hilltop in the Mountains, Their Lives Were Intertwined

With the Luck of a Rabbit

Steam and Sails

On the Back of a Tiger

He Knew They Would Agree- To Hank There Could Be No Finer Tree

In His World, He Was King

A Day to Celebrate

They Tied Their Hopes to a String

About The Artist

I live north of Toronto in Owen Sound, Ontario, Canada with my husband Simon and daughter, Lily. I am an artist, illustrator and educator.  I went to the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design and the University of Canterbury for illustration, printmaking and electronic art. While there, I began doing freelance illustration.

I used to spend a great deal of time making tunnel books, which I sold at 1st Hand Gallery in Toronto. These paper theater works are a return to working in this method with the addition of photography. I set up layers of drawings, on a small scale, like a very tiny stage set or installation.  My work often tells a moment in a story, and often plays with the themes of childhood, and the ephemeral. I look to my own childhood, my experiences as a mother, Victorian curiosities, vintage book illustrations, and set design. At times I work on a larger scale, creating installations. In the future I hope to do some animation as well.  I am excited to be working on my first children’s books in this style!

Elly MacKay’s Website

Elly MacKay’s Blog




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