Ali Mackie
Made of Place: Finding the ‘Everyday Magic’ with Ali Mackie
Ali Mackie
If you’ve stepped into the gallery recently, you’ve likely been stopped in your tracks by a burst of joyful, rich colour running throughout a coolection of wreath paintings. That is the wonderful work of Ali Mackie, one of our brilliant 2026 Artists in Residence.
Ali is a contemporary abstract and mixed-media artist who specializes in capturing what she beautifully terms "everyday magic." Her practice takes botanicals - familiar, and ordinary objects and transforms them into curiously abstracted, deeply textured compositions. Through her playful use of acrylics and mixed media, she injects an uplifting energy into the spaces her art inhabits.
Winslow mixed media Painting by Ali Mackie
Beyond her own easel, Ali is a passionate advocate for community-led creativity, famously hosting her online BRIGHT Sketchbook Playdates to help others ignite their creative confidence. In Made of Place, Ali’s work acts as a celebratory reminder of the ritual of belonging, finding joy in the structures and changing seasons that shape our everyday environments.
Her immense talent has caught the eye of the wider art world, too. Holding both a First Class Honours degree and a Master’s degree from the prestigious Royal College of Arts, Ali’s impressive pedigree includes being selected for the renowned Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Her distinctive work has been exhibited widely in galleries across the UK—from high-profile solo shows like The Bright Side of Quiet to curated exhibitions at National Trust treasures like Waddesdon Manor and Stowe.
Featured Artworks Available in Our Shop:
Let’s Wait Together - Botanical Wreath Painting by Ali Mackie
Let’s Wait Together
The quiet patience of the garden. Let's Wait Together captures the expectant stillness of nature as it transitions between seasons. Raw, twisted foraged branches are adorned with the last of the season's bright red berries and a few flickering yellow leaves.
Original painting, mixed media
The Wreaths Collection
Wallis - Botanical Wreath Painting by Ali Mackie
Wallis
A rich and enchanting story told in shadows. Wallace is a deep, textural exploration of foraged finds set against a velvet-dark background. Slender branches in soft pink and ochre-gold weave together, punctuated by the deep glow of late-season berries.
Original painting, mixed media
The Wreaths Collection
Bring a piece of Ali’s vibrant optimism into your home. Click the links above to buy directly from our curated shop, or pop into our Chalfont St Peter gallery to see them hanging.
Made of Place is open until Saturday the 30th of May.
Whether you’re an art aficionado or you just need a quiet moment, our doors are open.
Where: Emerald Gallery, 1, Blay’s House. Churchfield Road. Chalfont St Peter. SL99EW.
When: Tuesday to Saturday - 9 to 5.
The Essence: Inviting, inspiring, and very much of this place.
Gallery images by the fabulous lumagroupco.