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 corporations, together with UltrAspire, Terignota, and the Path Working Movie Competition. She additionally designed a collaboration between Janji and Aravaipa Working that simply debuted, and you too can take a look at her different work.
Abigail West working on the 2025 Canyons 100k. Photograph: Kristen Nelson
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 present 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 essential in how I reside my life, although I do put “artist” first in that configuration on objective! I’ve been an artist for so long as I can bear in mind, whereas athletics got here just a little later, and artwork is a bit more dependable within the sense that even once I’m injured, I can concentrate on 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 could possibly be a very good coxswain — the tiny individual in cost. I fell in love with aggressive sports activities, like discovering a lacking puzzle piece, and discovered I made a fairly respectable rower, too. We received the nationwide championships my senior yr, however I didn’t wish to pursue faculty sports activities. I wished to journey in faculty. I additionally appreciated working, and it’s a good way (even perhaps the easiest way) to see new locations. I began working extra right here in Athens once I got here right here for school, and later discovered path working by means of the local people, and haven’t seemed again.
My husband, Michael Rosscan be an artist and runner, and he’s an enormous 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 present 37.5 weeks pregnant with our first baby! 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 complete life. I see issues a sure manner and really feel a must seize and categorical them. The medium is only a format. I haven’t at all times been a printmaker. In truth, earlier than this, I used to be constructing metallic furnishings out of reclaimed supplies. Certainly one of life’s largest challenges, in my expertise, is which you could’t do all the pieces, so narrowing down to 1 medium means that you can go deeper and be extra articulate in the way you categorical your concepts. Printmaking is what offers me that proper now, and I do know I’m on the correct path as a result of I by no means run out of concepts, simply time.
For working, when individuals 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 at all times simple, 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 offers me an incredible 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 essential for fostering not simply the following technology of artists, but in addition artwork appreciation in most people. It’s good for everybody!
I reconnected with printmaking in faculty 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 various repetitive parts. I’m at present targeted on aid printmaking, partially as a result of it’s been the best kind to arrange a house studio round. I additionally love how printmaking is a democratic medium. I could make unique artworks which are inexpensive to extra individuals 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, however it’s tremendous particular to me how many individuals I can join with by means of 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 at all times aspiring to be extra diligent about it! We’re all works in progress.
Abigail West with one in every of her prints. Photograph courtesy of Abigail West.
You appear drawn to landscapes and botanical prints. Are there any explicit locations which are your favourite?
I take into account myself fortunate to reside on the sting of Southern Appalachia, and these mountains really feel just like the definition of residence to me. I get to do most of my large coaching within the mountains of North Georgia and Western North Carolina, and I hold 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 elsewhere I journey to, which has led to enjoyable race and model collaborations. Whereas I can’t absolutely take in the main points 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 hold transferring. It’s the identical in each. Like in an extremely, if you wish to cease or give up, you simply need to hold going ahead, and realize 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, partly for this very purpose. If I’m unsure what to work on subsequent, I can do one other state. It will not be probably the most enjoyable of all of the issues I work on to undergo all of the steps of organising a brand new state — I print these over outdated maps, so there’s plenty of formatting that goes into planning them — however it’s rewarding, after which I can attain new individuals!
Abigail West setting a brand new ladies’s supported quickest recognized time on the Georgia Loop in 2025. Photograph: Pete Schreiner
In case you might give any recommendation to your youthful self, what wouldn’t it be?
You recognize, I actually wouldn’t change a lot concerning 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 best way. I don’t really feel as if I’ve arrived at any explicit vacation spot, however slightly 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 hold knocking on numerous doorways. If I performed out a simulation of my life, I think about totally different doorways might need opened, and I’d’ve gone by means of these and achieved 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’ve gotten any prints, artwork initiatives, or life targets that you’re enthusiastic about?
That is probably the most thrilling half! I’m about to have a child! It looks like the largest inventive endeavor of our lives.
I even have an enormous inventive collab mission between Janji and Aravaipa Working launching proper now. We first began speaking about this mission in 2024, nearly two years in the past! Attire has a extremely 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 means of 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 Ultrashowever that occurs to fall nearly precisely on my due date. I’m excited to witness it from afar whereas I work on my subsequent large inventive mission right here at residence. People 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 newborn proper now, as you’ll be able to think about, however I’m excited concerning the yr we’ve mapped out forward. I will probably be doing a few spring artwork festivals right here within the Southeast, after which this summer season, Michael will probably be educating artwork in Italy, so we’ll be in Europe for 2 months with the newborn. 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 sensible in how I get well postpartum, I can come again stronger than ever earlier than. That’s actually thrilling to me.
Abigail West and associate 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 ladies 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 baby, 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 achieved all the pieces up till this level. I take plenty of inspiration from different ultrarunning ladies who’re crushing it with youngsters, and I like that there are too many to even title all of them!
In artwork, I’m typically impressed by different “working artists.” I journey round on the artwork competition 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 threat tolerance, as exhibits can go very well and likewise generally be actually disappointing, and we simply need to hold transferring ahead and making an attempt. I additionally assume the very best — and most healthful — use of Fb as a platform is among the artist teams I’m in, the place I can see what different printmakers are doing and be taught from them.
Abigail West working at an artwork present. Photograph courtesy of Abigail West.
In case you could possibly be a tree, what sort of tree would you be?
Rhododendrons may not be thought of 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 means of an entire interview with out waxing on, at the very least just a little bit, about how underrated and wonderful our trails and mountains are right here. It is best to come run them, and inform me a rhododendron tunnel isn’t probably the most enchanting issues! A number of 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?
