Ros Lorimer is a textile artist and archaeological illustrator working in vector, watercolour and graphic novel style pieces of work. Self-proclaimed lover of folklore, Ros utilised her love for Archaeology and Art and found a course that combined the two for her BA.

We had the pleasure of chatting to Ros about where her creativity stems from, how folklore inspires her artwork, who her fascination with superstitions comes from and how her art helps her to reconnect in a modern world.

Northern Folklore Archive: Have you always had a creative passion, or was it spurred on by someone/something in your life?

Yes I have always been a creative, although at school its was slightly drilled out of me. I am glad to say that my creativity is now stronger.

After working in floristry for 20 years and the closure of the shop I was working at, I followed my passion for Archaeology and Art, found a course that combined the two for my BA. I met my husband on the course who has been my biggest supporter who also helps me when my dyslexia when it gets in the way.

I would also like to mention my first big opportunity as an artist at Lincoln Museum as artist in residence as the springboard to take my artwork forward.

Your work includes textiles, archaeological illustrations, vector, watercolour and graphic styles... which medium is your favourite to work on?

On My! This is a tuff one! But, I can compartmentalise why I have so many styles and ways or working.

I love academic archaeological illustration as it has conventions which must be followed and the thought or handling something that was touched/used my someone 2000 years ago just blows my mind every time, what where they like, what did they wear what did they believe? This is the same reason I do vector illustrations/ reconstructions. Take this illustration for instance from the recent “Hidden Valleys Exhibition” at North Lincolnshire Museum.

I had the opportunity to handle the beads and brooches etc. Anglo Saxon (and Roman) are my favourite period, so I was delighted to bring to life this Anglo-Saxon woman, we have a good idea of the style or dress that they wore, and it was just a case of choosing the colour of the garments. I try and use bright colours to dispel the myth that “in the olden days” people only wore drab colours. The other reason chose to do vector illustrations as they are loads of watercolour artist out there doing reconstructions but not many doing a vectors style.

I have always loved watercolour and found my own style influenced by Japanese artist such as Hasui Kawase, along with Manga and graphic and novels. With my work I want to connect with people and especially the younger audience, so this style seems to tick all the right boxes in my head. It’s taken I while to reach a style that I am happy with, practising loads with, oh so many failures! but as they say you have kill many of your ideas to get to the right one.

What is it about folklore that inspires your artwork and creative projects? 

I have always been quite superstitious, and I think the love of folklore sort of grew out of my love of history and how much folklore is attached to the past.

If you had to pinpoint a turning point or a confirmation of a link to the past, it would by an open day at Higham Ferries for the wonderful book we produced after an excavation but that’s another story. Folklore is handed down from generation to generation often we don’t know how far back the stories, superstition etc go and even today new stories are being made as we deal with the tech around us. Do you have a set way/time ”ritual” of how you charge your phone everyday? And if you don’t the day goes wrong. Is that not a superstition? Would that not constitute the beginnings of folklore. It’s like the Terry Prachet ding-a-ling-a-ling moment.

When I first started to take an interest in folklore I could see that some traditions starting to drift away. Oh I wished I had talked to my great great, Auntie more, (sadly I was only about 7 when she died). She lived in a Lincolnshire mud and stud house and I remember the week she got a tap installed in her kitchen, yes we had great fun pumping water up from the well we visited her. The artwork I am currently working on (the Wounded Hare) is loosely based on her living room, not the best room mind, but the room she used every day. The black range, with the black cat on the proggy rung in front of the fire and the ginormous Christmas cacti that sat on the table by the small window. I bet she could have told me so many stories.

Cultures expand and old ways die out it’s the nature of progression. We have had a long history of story telling but now has seems people look to their tech for stories, looking for quicker more immediate ways to see a story, Instagram for instance: They say a picture can say thousand words so can a photo. My artwork is a retelling of folklore in a modern society using traditional methods such as Stump-work and watercolour.

Do you find that being creative, and doing a lot of work with your hands, helps your mental wellbeing in such a modern, tech-driven society?

Yes. It does get me away from the tech along with walking our dog. I like adding the textiles to my work as it’s a “F**K Y**!” to AI which really annoys me. AI cannot sew yet.

The textile side of my work, the Stump-work: using an old tradition, but in a modern way, is also the non brainer part it’s just a case of knowing my stitches. Everything else has been planned designed (and done the “I’m not worthy stage”) and watercoloured so it’s a case of sit back and stitch. My fingers may not agree with me as I am inclined to accidentally stab myself!

Lastly (and I'm asking this to everyone) one of the Northern Folklore Duo is a huge film fan, so this question is purely for him... what is your favourite film?!

The Hogfather with Labyrinth coming a close second, or is it the other way round!

If you would like to see the “The Wounded Hare “ and my other work I have any exhibition at the Carre Gallery, Sleaford. Lincolnshire NG34 7TR (Type in The Hub to find nearest carpark and then walk through Navigation Yard).

STUMPED: Folklore retold - October 27th -14th November 2026.

Illustrator: Ros Lorimer

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Illustrator: Ros Lorimer

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