WRITING & POETRY

Before the canvas, there was the page.

Words have always been central to Hannah Shillito's creative life. With a degree in English Literature and twenty years spent teaching internationally, her fascination with language has shaped both her writing and visual art.

Alongside teaching, Hannah worked as a freelance journalist, contributing to publications including Vintage Life. Following the birth of her daughter, she published Mama, a poetry collection created in collaboration with an illustrator in Rome and subsequently translated into Italian.

During lockdown, she published I'm Just Norman, a children's book inspired by her beloved dog, celebrating individuality and the importance of being yourself. Profits were donated to the NHS.

Hannah continues to write poetry most days. Language remains integral to her multidisciplinary practice, from the exuberant declarations of her Emergency Affirmations paintings to her performances and feminist research.

For Hannah, words have never belonged exclusively on the page.