A Conversation with Abbie Lois: Folklore, Printmaking, and the Magic of Scotland

Abbie Lois is a printmaker and illustrator based in Glasgow who creates work shaped by ancient Scottish folklore, the natural world, and the roles women have played (and are imagined to have played) throughout history. 

Perfect examples of her work are Brìde, her gentle yet striking portrayal of the Celtic goddess of spring and creativity, and her captivating Selkie print. 

We recently caught up with Abbie after crossing paths in Edinburgh, to talk about how it all began, and what continues to influence her work today.

Photo by @Agata_Photography

Abbie, can you take us back to the beginning? When did you first start creating, and what drew you to making art?

Growing up, I was lucky enough to be encouraged to pursue whatever I was good at. I was always exploring, always drawing, always making something with my hands. I grew up in a rural village in the north of Scotland with few children my age. I created my own worlds from this absence.

Was there a moment when you realised folklore was a world you wanted to explore more deeply?

My family are the roots of my obsession with folklore - my mum reading me beautifully illustrated stories, my dad instilling a love of the silly and adventurous, and my granny who embodied lore and mystery. In my final year of art school I realised just how deeply folklore shaped my identity. For my degree show, I explored the stories of the real women who suffered during the witch trials, including Isobel Gowdie, who lived a stone's throw from where I grew up. I realised how deeply I cared for her, and that I wanted to share stories like hers through my work.

Can you tell us a bit about your process, and how a piece usually comes together from start to finish?

There’s a lot of research that goes into each piece before I put pencil to paper. I usually go down rabbit holes – into books and online archives. Then I sketch until something feels right and tidy up the drawing. I then prepare a piece for screen printing by tracing each layer from my original drawing on Procreate, then digitally print the layers to screen print by hand. 

Once the original screen print is finished, I scan it to make digitally reproduced prints and greeting cards. It means my work can be accessible to a wider audience, which is really what I want – so the stories can be shared.

Your Brìde and Selkie prints are so beautiful. What was it about these stories that stood out to you?

I created Brìde out of a yearning to depict a person intertwined with the land, and her story is an ancient and deeply significant one. I love that there are many versions of her story, and several names for the same figure across Ireland and Scotland.

I’ve known of selkie stories my whole life, but became completely obsessed after reading ‘Seal-Folk and Ocean Paddlers’ by John M. MacAulay, and ‘The People of the Sea’ by David Thomson. They talk about selkies from different perspectives, and this reignited my need to draw her. There are so many variations of the selkie story, and I wanted to tell it through my own lens. In fact, I wrote a short story about her to accompany my print. If you’d like, you can read it here. 

Scotland runs through so much of your work. What’s your relationship with it as a place you’re from and source of inspiration?

I don’t think I’ll ever cease to be inspired by Scotland and its landscapes. For example, at the moment I’m immersed in a personal project where I’m trying to link the folklore and history of the last and lost animals of Scotland, such as the wolf, boar and bear. I'm also beginning my journey in learning Scottish Gaelic to understand our traditional stories better through use of language in the landscape. 

And since we’re here on Skye, I’m curious if the island has had any influence on your work?

There are countless stories which come from the land and sea in Skye. Whether it's the story of the two giantesses which battled with each other between Skye and Raasay, creating Beinn na Caillich, or the warrior queen Sgiath’s school of war hidden in the mountains of the island, the possibilities of tales to tell are endless. When you’re in Skye, taken aback by the beauty of the mountains and coastlines, you understand why its landscape inspired such stories.

Photo by Hannah Morris

And finally, for someone beginning to explore creating art, is there anything you’d want to share?

Something I wish I’d understood early in my journey in the arts, is having faith in what you find fascinating as an artist. If you create work which you truly love, it will always show. You will find the right audience for your work in time.

Whether you’re drawn to ancient goddesses, mist-covered landscapes, or the slow, tactile process of printmaking, Abbie’s art is an invitation to listen to the land, old stories, and your own creative calling. 

You can find prints by Abbie in our collection here at Òr. We’re so proud to share them with you!