Ali Kayley

Ali Kayley is an artist whose work is deeply inspired by themes of journey—those undertaken by people, animals, and spirits. One of her notable pieces, The Plunge, originates from a series created during her time living in Los Angeles, a city shaped by migration. Among the many movements along the Pacific coast, Kayley became especially fascinated by the Vaux’s swifts—tiny birds with atrophied feet who spend nearly their entire lives in the air, pausing only briefly to roost. The Plunge captures the mesmerizing moment at dusk when thousands of these birds swirl in a vortex before plunging into an abandoned chimney in downtown Los Angeles.

Now residing on a farm nestled on a hillside in England, Kayley draws inspiration from her rural surroundings. From her studio, she observes sheep grazing the fields—an everyday scene that led to an unexpected creative evolution. Discovering that the sheep's fleeces were often discarded, burned, or left to decompose, she purchased a loom on a whim. This decision marked the beginning of a new artistic journey: learning to weave and reclaiming the value of the fleece.

The result was Log Cabin Variation No. 1, a limited edition of 10 blankets. Drawn to the slow, meditative rhythm of weaving, Kayley found this process influencing her drawing and painting practice. This culminated in a series titled Log Cabin Variation No. 1 Codex, where the reductive simplicity of the compositions echoes the structure and rhythm of weaving as much as of painting.