Emma was brought up in London and lives in Hertfordshire. In 2021 after 40 years of working in the NHS as a nurse and a GP, she retired to dedicate time to her passion of painting. The seeds were sown as a child while watching her father paint handmade Christmas cards on the dining room table. Art took a back seat until she joined a local art group in her forties run by art tutor Martin Smith. Martin initially encouraged her to hone her drawing skills and after a few months, let her loose on paint. She bought her first few tubes of oil paint, some brushes and a canvas board and has been painting ever since.
Exhibitions:
2/3/23 - 11/3/23 - Royal Society of British Artists’ Bicentennial Exhibition at The Mall Galleries, London
Galleries:
Represented by Riverside Gallery, Barnes, London
Statement
I have always been drawn to still life. It surprises me how much drama can be created by a collection of every day objects, the way the light and shadows bring them alive. I love the play of light and the way objects relate to each other. I am inspired by the genius of realist painters such as Caravaggio, Vermeer and Chardin whose handling of form and light is exquisite.
My paintings are about the beauty of relationships, relationships between objects and the spaces they occupy. They are about colour, light and the absence of light, about balance and contrast.
In setting up a still life there is a magical moment when the scene takes shape and the objects find their place. It's comforting to know that there is potential for any number of beautiful combinations.
I want to share my love of still life and hope that my paintings spark connections in the way that painting them does for me.