About

Ellen McKenna is a Melbourne based surface pattern designer, artist and interior decorator.

Ellen McKenna is a Melbourne based surface pattern designer, artist and interior decorator. Ellen uses her art and pattern work as creative expression with a focus on colour, shape, playfulness and balance. Inspired by multidisciplinary design elements from the early to mid 20th Century, Ellen’s aesthetic is also shaped by her lifelong study and love of the arts which includes, a Certificate IV in Design, a Certificate IV in Interior Decorating and graduating with a degree in Visual and Performing Arts from the Victorian College of the Arts.

Ellen’s solo exhibition ‘Opportunity’ , featuring hand painted clothing and accessories sourced from local op shops, is currently being hosted by the Town Hall Gallery (City of Boroondara) in Hawthorn. Ellen was also commissioned by the City of Boroondara to create several hand painted clothing collections for the ‘Love at first Sight’ fashion art installation series.

Ellen's pattern design work has, so far, been featured in products by fashion, textile and home wares clients, such as Peace House Studio, Ebay, Gillian Valentine, Natty and Polly, Sole Mio, Kablooie, Elm Lifestyle , Chester Street Clothing, Foxwood Clothing, Tokoencit, Little and Kind, Cotton ON, Soxy Beast and a collaboration with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.

Ellen also produced a month long exhibition 'Feeling Colours’ which was hosted by the Bluethumb Art Gallery and was part of Melbourne Design Week NGV and featured Ellen’s art and textile design.

Ellen was shortlisted as a finalist and awarded a commendation in The Design Files + Laminex - Design Awards in the category of Textile Design and her art work has also been featured in Home Design Magazine and has been included in a corporate art acquisition for the Queen and Collins Building in Melbourne.

Selected Projects and Highlights

2025 Opportunity - Solo Exhibition

2025 Love at First Sight Fashion Art Installation

2024 We Dream in Colour Exhibition

2023 Colour Spectrum Exhibition

2021 Feeling Colours - Solo Exhibition for Melbourne Design Week NGV

2020 The Design Files Awards - Commendation

2020 The Design Files Awards - Finalist

2020 From Art To Fashion - Solo Exhibition, Town Hall Gallery , Hawthorn