Ellie Hatte is an Australian photographer partaking in the “Summer Residency” programme as one of the selected partially funded international artists. In Doi Saket, she will continue her photo series “Light Beings”.
Ellie Hatte is an Australian photographer, multidisciplinary creative, and cultural producer based in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales. With over two decades of experience across photography, creative production, arts management, and event coordination, her practice is guided by imagination, intuition, and a deep curiosity about the relationship between creativity, community, and the natural environment.
Over the past few years, Hatte has co-developed Motel Numulgi, a former motel and welding workshop transformed into an independent arts and events space that fosters artistic exchange and experimentation. Her interdisciplinary background includes a Bachelor of Creative Industries from the Queensland University of Technology and a Diploma in Entertainment, complemented by studies in permaculture, agroecology, and agroforestry. Currently, she is developing an agroforestry project that reflects her growing commitment to regenerative land practices and ecological stewardship.
Ellie Hatte shares her recent works through photographic essays – a series of photos that collect the traces of her travels and document the feelings around them. She has already accumulated several photographic essays over the years. For instance, the essay “All That Glitters is Not Gold (it’s Plastic): Plastic Pollution on World Heritage Listed K’Gari” unpacks the problem of plastic pollution of K’gari, a World Heritage-listed sand island in Australia. Through her photos, she records how natural landscape and wildlife are affected by plastic waste. In another essay titled “Rubble and Dust – Kathmandu 2018 – 3 Years after the Earthquake”, Ellie explores life in the city in Nepal three years after the Gorkha earthquake, capturing “the rubble and dust filling the streets and air”.
Artist Statement
“A digital photography and videography exhibition, Light Beings is about energy, God and the human experience. The works explore the the Universe as one entity, transferring energy within itself. Through grief and pain the human being is forced to connect with the environment for survival, thus exposing the glimmers of light and beauty, even in the most mundane and difficult times. Light Beings, seemingly appear out of nowhere, carrying within them deep meaning, hope, love and connection to those who are lucky enough to see them.“
“Light Beings”, how to find beauty in the mundane
“Light Beings” is a mixed media project which explores the Universe as a system that constantly undergoes energy transfers. As Ellie explains, the photos from the “Light Beings” series are the personified glimmers of light and beauty that the artist finds in the most mundane situations or the most difficult times. Using photography, videography, and mixed media, Ellie Hatte invites her viewer to share this deep meaning, hope, love and connection that are revealed through artistic vision. We are excited to see how the serene atmosphere of Doi Sake will manifest itself in Ellie’s photos.
Balancing artistic practice with cultural production, Hatte brings together strategic thinking, organisational expertise, and a collaborative spirit. Her interests span photography, art, music, gardening, cooking, and environmental sustainability, forming an expansive practice that explores the connections between creativity, place, and community.
Ellie Hatte’s residency project explores her personal journey of healing from chronic illness and anxiety through a deep engagement with the local environment and ecosystem. Working primarily with photography while expanding into site-responsive installation, she seeks to create works that interact with the landscape and investigate nature as a space that can hold emotion, expand consciousness, and support healing. The residency provides a rare opportunity to step away from the pressures of everyday life, immerse herself in the culture and natural surroundings, and develop new work through a sustained process of observation, reflection, and creative exploration.
At Studio 88 Artist Residency, Hatte shares a selection of her recent photographic works that reflect her attentive observation of landscape, atmosphere, and everyday moments. Through her lens, she invites viewers to slow down and discover the quiet relationships between people, place, and the rhythms of contemporary life.
More about the artist on Ellie Hatte’s instagram.
At Studio 88 Artist Residency, we believe that art and creativity are powerful catalysts for building a vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable creative ecosystem. By supporting talented artists from around the world, we invest in new ideas, cross-cultural exchange, and creative practices that inspire meaningful dialogue, strengthen communities, and contribute to a more sustainable future. Studio 88’s SUMMER Residency offer up to 3 fully funded residency places are available for Southeast Asian artists and partial funding for international artists.
Studio 88 accepts applications on an ongoing basis. Check out our residency program and apply now.
Studio 88 Artist Residency 