Emma Sutherland Studio
I am a multidisciplinary artist exploring thresholds and in-betweens, focusing on rituals and sacredness through a personal lens.
My curiosity to understand the world that we live in has resulted in an art practice of painting and ceramics as a way to unveil the answers that I am seeking. Materials play a pivotal role, and I favour tactility in the work, as if I were excavating for clues. My art practice has resulted in a dialogue between my chosen mediums and creates a shared, immersive space for contemplation.
I am fascinated by the tipping point of transformation and the unseen space in which it occurs. Using a personal archive of images considered ritual or sacred, I explore this through painting and ceramics. Using loose, unrestrained, buoyant mark-making contrasted with quietness, in both mediums, allows my paintings to sit alongside my ceramic vessels, inspired by the traditional tea ceremony. This approach offers a way to reflect and meditate on the artworks. I aim to capture a raw, archaic energy and draw the viewer into this liminal space.
Lately, I am questioning what makes a space sacred. Is it the existing space, shrine, relics, ritual, or personal interaction that defines the experience? How many elements are needed for something profane to become spiritual?