The object from the collection that inspired this work is the Bellarmine Jug, discovered near the west tower of Bangor Cathedral in 1874. During the 17th century, these jugs were believed to protect against spirits and witchcraft. They were often filled with substances such as urine, nails, and other personal objects before being buried underground as part of a ritual intended to ward off harm. At the time, the jug was understood as a symbolic stand-in for the human body, with its interior imagined as a stomach.
Ella Louise Jones’ interest lies not only in the physical form of the Bellarmine Jug but also in the fears, beliefs, and superstitions attached to it. She is particularly drawn to historical understandings of the body and digestion, and to the ways people once interpreted health, danger, and protection through folklore and ritual. These beliefs transform the jug from a simple vessel into an object that is both deeply symbolic and unsettling.
In response, Ella has created a series of felted, embroidered, and latch-hooked textile works, alongside forms cast in latex. These pieces are inspired by the shape and texture of the stomach and other internal organs. She has also drawn inspiration from the natural growth that may have surrounded the jug while it remained buried underground, combining bodily and organic forms to explore themes of concealment, transformation, and decay.
The history of the Bellarmine Jug is also deeply entangled with the persecution of women accused of witchcraft an unjust and often violent attempt to manage fear through the regulation and control of women’s bodies. By referencing the stomach and internal organs, Jones’ work foreground’s themes of women’s health, bodily autonomy, and vulnerability. Her work explores how women’s bodies have historically been sites of projection, suspicion, and control, while also acknowledging their resilience, strength, and capacity for transformation.
These themes connect to Ella’s wider artistic practice, which explores tactile perception, texture, and form through interactive textile-based works. She is interested in how materials can hold memories, emotions, and cultural histories, and how touch and sensory engagement can create personal connections between objects and audiences. Her practice is defined by playfulness, curiosity, material exploration, sustainability, and a deep connection to Welsh culture.
Ella Louise Jones is a Welsh artist whose interactive and textile works explore tactile perception, textures, and shapes. She earned a BA from Cardiff School of Art and Design in 2017 and a Master of Fine Art from Newcastle University in 2020. Recent projects include HOOKED, supported by Arts Council Wales and exhibited at Galeri Caernarfon (February 2024) and the Welsh Assembly/Senedd (August 2024), Teulu / Family at Aberystwyth Arts Centre (2024), and Soft Touch and Fluffy Delights at Mostyn Gallery, Llandudno (2023).
