Este Macleod was born in Pretoria, South Africa in 1968. From a young child all she wanted to do was draw and paint. After completing her schooling Este continued to study art at the Pretoria Technikon and in 1994 she obtained a Higher National Diploma in Textile Design.

Este MacLeod began her career in South Africa as a textile designer and ceramicist. She relocated to the UK in 1999 where she has continued to paint, exhibit and create her ceramics. More recently she completed an MA at University for the Creative Arts in Farnham.

Through her art work Este MacLeod reflects on the sentiments and nostalgia surrounding the on-going process of life. She is primarily a colourist painter focusing on the concept of domesticity. Vintage household objects, simplified plant and natural forms inform Este's still life and landscape paintings. Her aim is not to represent objects, but to interpret everyday items in a distorted way. She simplifies recognisable everyday objects by including working methods such as the use of lines, complimentary colours and layering of paint and by a variety of scraping techniques. She uses complimentary colours, layered paint and a variety of scraping techniques to add texture to her paintings.

Este MacLeod exhibits in the UK and abroad on an ongoing basis throughout the year. Her paintings and sculptures are in public and private collections around the world.