Meet artist-athlete Abigail West. Abigail hails from Athens, Georgia, the place the plush mountains and forests of rhododendrons infuse each her path working adventures and her art work. Abigail has collaborated with and designed items for a number of firms, together with UltrAspire, Terignota, and the Path Operating Movie Pageant. She additionally designed a collaboration between Janji and Aravaipa Operating that simply debuted, and you may also take a look at her different work.
In 2024, Abigail joined Tara Dower throughout her historic fastest-known-time run on the Appalachian Path and designed a print with Tara to boost cash for Hurricane Helene restoration efforts. When not making artwork, Abigail loves lengthy days out on the paths and is at the moment prepping for her largest journey but: turning into a mother. Right here is Abigail West in her personal phrases:
Who’s Abigail West?
I name myself an artist-athlete, as a result of each are actually vital in how I stay my life, although I do put “artist” first in that configuration on goal! I’ve been an artist for so long as I can bear in mind, whereas athletics got here slightly later, and artwork is a bit more dependable within the sense that even once I’m injured, I can give attention to my art work.
I received into working after being a extremely aggressive rower in highschool. I solely received into that sport as a result of I wanted a bodily training credit score and discovered I may very well be an excellent coxswain — the tiny particular person in cost. I fell in love with aggressive sports activities, like discovering a lacking puzzle piece, and discovered I made a fairly first rate rower, too. We received the nationwide championships my senior yr, however I didn’t need to pursue school sports activities. I wished to journey in school. I additionally appreciated working, and it’s an effective way (maybe even the easiest way) to see new locations. I began working extra right here in Athens once I got here right here for faculty, and later discovered path working by the area people, and haven’t appeared again.
My husband, Michael Ross, can also be an artist and runner, and he’s a giant a part of how I received into path working and ultrarunning. I like getting out within the woods with him and our canine, Cider. I’m doing much less of that proper now, although, as I’m at the moment 37.5 weeks pregnant with our first youngster! I’m additionally a passionate consultant of the U.S. Southeast. I like it right here.
What’s the connection for you between path working and making artwork?
I like the steadiness between working and the type of artwork I’m making now. A ton of my inspiration and imagery comes from what I see once I’m out working, particularly from lengthy adventures. These lengthy days exterior open your coronary heart up, and I attempt to seize that feeling as a lot because the landscapes we fall in love with. It’s additionally a pleasant steadiness from a day-to-day perspective: coaching a part of the day after which being within the studio for the remainder of the day.
Abigail West exhibiting a few of her model collaborations. Photograph courtesy of Abigail West.
What’s your “why” for every of them?
Why I make artwork may be the extra simple of the 2. I’ve been doing it my entire life. I see issues a sure method and really feel a have to seize and specific them. The medium is only a format. I haven’t all the time been a printmaker. Actually, earlier than this, I used to be constructing metallic furnishings out of reclaimed supplies. One among life’s largest challenges, in my expertise, is which you can’t do the whole lot, so narrowing down to at least one medium permits you to go deeper and be extra articulate in the way you specific your concepts. Printmaking is what provides me that proper now, and I do know I’m on the proper path as a result of I by no means run out of concepts, simply time.
For working, when folks ask me why I’m so into it, I typically clarify that it’s a way of life. I like the coaching and the way I construction my life round it. My husband, Michael, is a runner and artist, too. He understands and helps my drive to coach, and whereas figuring out the logistics of life isn’t all the time straightforward, we’re each motivated to be lively and aggressive in our personal methods. And that’s the opposite half. I’m actually aggressive, and having athletics as a long-term pursuit provides me a fantastic outlet for that a part of myself.
What drew you to printmaking? Some other media you fancy?
I do plenty of artwork festivals, and discuss to lots of people at them, and infrequently get requested how I received into printmaking. My reply is often: good highschool artwork academics! I’ve a lot respect and appreciation for artwork academics; they’re so vital for fostering not simply the subsequent technology of artists, but in addition artwork appreciation in most people. It’s good for everybody!
I reconnected with printmaking in school right here on the College of Georgia, extra as an method to creating than because the medium itself. It’s truly lots like working. It’s very rooted in course of, and there are lots of repetitive components. I’m at the moment targeted on reduction printmaking, partially as a result of it’s been the simplest type to arrange a house studio round. I additionally love how printmaking is a democratic medium. I could make unique artworks which can be inexpensive to extra folks as a result of I’m making originals in multiples. It means I’ve to succeed in a wider viewers/have the next quantity of gross sales, nevertheless it’s tremendous particular to me how many individuals I can join with by my work, particularly on condition that we’re connecting over our shared love of those landscapes.
I strive to attract and paint watercolors when touring. I used to do much more of that, so I’m all the time aspiring to be extra diligent about it! We’re all works in progress.
Abigail West with one among her prints. Photograph courtesy of Abigail West.
You appear drawn to landscapes and botanical prints. Are there any specific locations which can be your favourite?
I think about myself fortunate to stay on the sting of Southern Appalachia, and these mountains really feel just like the definition of dwelling to me. I get to do most of my huge coaching within the mountains of North Georgia and Western North Carolina, and I maintain making prints of those scenes, with no plans of stopping! My favourite wildflower might be the flame azalea, and I’m unhappy that my final discount print of 1 is bought out — time to do one other one!
I additionally love that I can seize the inspiration I really feel in different places I journey to, which has led to enjoyable race and model collaborations. Whereas I can’t totally absorb the small print of the panorama whereas I’m within the midst of working a race, I like to return out the next day, if I’ve time. Then I can stroll (hobble) round, make a number of sketches, and take reference images. I can then mix that with the remembered feeling of traversing many miles on foot.
Artwork, like working, ebbs and flows. How do you keep motivated?
Simply maintain shifting. It’s the identical in each. Like in an extremely, if you need to cease or stop, you simply need to maintain going ahead, and comprehend it’ll ultimately get higher. In artwork, if I really feel a lull in inventive concepts, I’ll undergo outdated notes or images and bear in mind an thought I had, and simply get began on it, ideally with out overthinking issues.
I’ve this sequence of state flower prints, partially for this very motive. If I’m undecided what to work on subsequent, I can do one other state. It is probably not probably the most enjoyable of all of the issues I work on to undergo all of the steps of establishing a brand new state — I print these over outdated maps, so there’s plenty of formatting that goes into planning them — nevertheless it’s rewarding, after which I can attain new folks!
Abigail West setting a brand new girls’s supported quickest recognized time on the Georgia Loop in 2025. Photograph: Pete Schreiner
In the event you might give any recommendation to your youthful self, what would it not be?
, I actually wouldn’t change a lot in regards to the path that I’ve taken to get the place I’m now — a path I really feel I’m very a lot nonetheless actively on, by the way in which. I don’t really feel as if I’ve arrived at any specific vacation spot, however reasonably that I’ve opened one door after one other that has led me to what I’m doing now. And I positive do really feel like I’m nonetheless knocking on doorways.
So maintain knocking on plenty of doorways. If I performed out a simulation of my life, I think about completely different doorways might need opened, and I’d’ve gone by these and carried out one thing else that was additionally actually thrilling. However I wouldn’t change the place I’m now. I’m fairly excited for no matter is coming subsequent.
Do you will have any prints, artwork tasks, or life targets that you’re enthusiastic about?
That is probably the most thrilling half! I’m about to have a child! It seems like the most important inventive endeavor of our lives.
I even have a giant inventive collab undertaking between Janji and Aravaipa Operating launching proper now. We first began speaking about this undertaking in 2024, nearly two years in the past! Attire has a very lengthy lead time. I made this art work in direct collaboration with Janji, and its composition is deliberately structured to function a sample for attire. That was a enjoyable, inventive problem I’d by no means labored with earlier than. The colours of the attire are pulled from a classic geological map of Arizona that I discovered in the US Geological Survey digital archives.
For a lot of my work, I’m doing it on their own in my studio, so seeing this come to life by a inventive collaboration is extremely thrilling to me! I used to be initially going to be on the full in-person launch on the Black Canyon Ultras, however that occurs to fall nearly precisely on my due date. I’m excited to witness it from afar whereas I work on my subsequent huge inventive undertaking right here at dwelling. Of us can view and buy the attire on-line from Janji, and the unique block print (which is a restricted run of simply 80 prints) instantly from my web site.
Most of my mind cells are devoted to the infant proper now, as you may think about, however I’m excited in regards to the yr we’ve mapped out forward. I can be doing a few spring artwork festivals right here within the Southeast, after which this summer season, Michael can be instructing artwork in Italy, so we’ll be in Europe for 2 months with the infant. Hopefully, I’ll be getting again into coaching by then. I’ve been actually lucky to maintain working a good bit all through this being pregnant, with out too many main points. I’ve this sense in my bones that, so long as I’m good in how I get well postpartum, I can come again stronger than ever earlier than. That’s actually thrilling to me.
Abigail West and accomplice Michael Ross out on a run. Photograph courtesy of Abigail West.
Who’re your inspirations in artwork and working?
In working, proper now, I’m tremendously impressed by girls who’re stronger than ever after having youngsters. To be clear, I do not know the way it’s going to look balancing our artwork careers with my aggressive working and having a toddler, however I do know that my life is fairly unconventional already, and I’m actually excited to construct one thing that works for us, as a result of that’s how we’ve carried out the whole lot up till this level. I take plenty of inspiration from different ultrarunning girls who’re crushing it with youngsters, and I like that there are too many to even identify all of them!
In artwork, I’m typically impressed by different “working artists.” I journey round on the artwork pageant circuit a good bit, and I like assembly different artists who’ve additionally constructed one thing from scratch that works for them. It’s a fairly small pool of people that all have a excessive danger tolerance, as reveals can go very well and likewise typically be actually disappointing, and we simply need to maintain shifting ahead and making an attempt. I additionally assume the very best — and most healthful — use of Fb as a platform is a few of the artist teams I’m in, the place I can see what different printmakers are doing and study from them.
Abigail West working at an artwork present. Photograph courtesy of Abigail West.
In the event you may very well be a tree, what sort of tree would you be?
Rhododendrons may not be thought-about bushes. I acknowledge this. However I’m additionally a little bit of a bend-the-rules sort, and the rhododendrons are one function that makes our Southern mountains iconic and beloved. I can’t get by a complete interview with out waxing on, at the very least slightly bit, about how underrated and superb our trails and mountains are right here. You must come run them, and inform me a rhododendron tunnel isn’t one of the crucial enchanting issues! Among the first artwork I bear in mind making about this panorama was impressed by a blanket of fallen rhododendron blooms on a path within the Nice Smoky Mountains — probably the most magical place on earth.
Abigail West on the Georgia Loop. Photograph: Pete Schreiner
Name for Feedback
- Have you ever encountered a few of Abigail West’s artwork within the path working world?
- Are there landscapes that encourage you to make artwork?
