Artist statement
I am a British born and educated artist, film maker and designer, working with: stoneware sculpture, cyanotype print, watercolour, oil, acrylic, illustration, animation, photography and vectors.
In the early 90’s I gained a Ba (Hons) in Fine Art from The University of East London. I gained a lot of my film and animation practise through creating weekly visuals when working intensively as a VJ (video projection artist) under the name Miss Plunkett.
My work aims to be uplifting and to express something beyond words.
“Her characteristic witty surrealist style celebrates the female form, very often in movement – dance or performance.” SaloArte.
“Emma’s work is very personal and great, elaborated with great mastery and feeling.” Rafael Vílchez, Ideal
Ian Rutter from Talk Radio Europe interviewed me for his talk-show, Life Stories. The show was aired on the 3rd December 2017. Listen to me speak about some of my life.
Creative Intention
I sometimes feel like a slave to the creative urge. In my experience, when a piece wants to come into existence there is no point in fighting or denying it. However, it sometimes takes a certain amount of courage to allow the art be whatever it wants to be. I enjoy being in the creative process, and I love to see what comes out next…
Inspiration
Inspiration is ever-present in my life, from the moment I become conscious in the morning, through all the experiences of my day. I’m constantly seeing possibilities and ideas that could be made into art. I write and draw my ideas down, and have kept all my sketch books since childhood. It’s only the ideas which plague me or come out when I’m doodling, that become embodied.
Creative Process
I loose all sense of myself during the creative process. I have no concern with my gender, or whether I am young, old, hot, cold, hungry or not… or even what time it is. I concentrate for hours on end, acting on each creative step as it arises. I like to become familiar with the behaviour and characteristics of different materials, sometimes letting them guide me, going with the happy accidents, experimenting and exploring. Being able to accept what I make, even if I may not like it much myself at first, is an interesting consideration too.
Emma Plunkett’s Curiculum
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| April 2018 | Ceramiq – Órgiva | |
| Nov – Dec 2017 | La Azucarer – Motril | |
| Aug – Nov 2017 | La Botíca – Salobreña | |
| Oct 2017 | University of Granada | |
| Aug 2017 | 4 Artists – Jardín Nazarí, Velez de Benaudalla | |
| July 2017 | Plunkett vs. Morego – Jardin Nazari | |
| June 2017 | Rogue Gallery – Glastonbury Festival | |
| May 2017 | PINK – ANA Art Exhibition | |
| April 2017 | 9th Annual Competa Art Walk | |
| Feb 2017 | Impresiónes – ANA Group Print Show | |
| October 2016 | University of Granada | |
| October 2016 | Art Day Málaga | |
| October 2016 | ANA Las Torcas | |
| June 2016 | Casa de Cultura, La Caleta | |
| 2016 | SaloArte 2016 | |
| May – Sept 2016 | La Botíca | |
| May 2015 – ongoing | El Casino, Salobreña | |
| October 2015 | Sala Vimaambi | |
| July 2015 | The Incredible Exploding Pommegranate | |
| Nov 2015 – ongoing | Kitty Harri Sculpture Garden | |
| Nov 2015 – ongoing | Museo de Aceite | |
| 2015 | SaloArte 2015 | |
| June 2015 | Casa de Cultura, La Caleta | |
| April 2015 | Casa de Cultura, Velez de Benaudalla | |
| 2014 – ongoing | Cortijo Romero | |
| 2014 – 2016 | El Secreto Del Olivo | |
| July 2014 | SaloArte 2014 | |
| June 2014 | Casa de Cultura, La Caleta | |
| June 2014 | La Fabula at La Finca | |
| Feb 2014 | Sand Pit Club – Chite | |
| Feb 2014 | Cafe Teatro El Jardin – Granada | |
| Dec 2013 | Órgiva Old Town Hall | |
| August 2013 | El Rincon – Alqueria de los Lentos | |
| June 2013 | Casa de Cultura, La Caleta | |
| May 2013 | Arte de lo Pequeño – Salobreña, Spain | |
| 2012 - 2013 | La Galería de Arte Cartel – Granada, Spain | |
| 2012 | Salo Arte – Salobreña, Spain | |
| 2012 | Sala de Exposiones – Salobreña, Spain. | |
| 2011 - 2012 | Indigo Interiors – La Herradura, Spain | |
| 2011 | Taller de Arte Vimaambi – Granada, Spain | |
| 2010 | Nerja Festival of Arts – Spain | |
| 2009 - 2011 | Galería Manzanilla – Órgiva, Spain | |
| 2009 - 2011 | Galería Visión Natural – La Caleta, Spain | |
| 1999 | Hoxton Square Gallery – London | |
| 1996 - 1997 | Gallery 5 – Portobello, London | |
| 1995 | Stones In Her Pockets – Touring Exhibition, UK | |
| 1994 | The Drill Hall – London | |
| 1994 | The Princes Trust – London | |
| 1991 | Fresh Art – Business design centre, London | |
| 1990 | Air Gallery – London | |
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 – ongoing | Moho Studio Pro | |
| 2016 - ongoing | Spanish | |
| 2014 - ongoing | Final Cut Pro X | |
| 2013 - ongoing | Ceramics | |
| 2012 - ongoing | Adobe Illustrator | |
| 1997 | Kingsway College – London | |
| 1997 | Connections – London | |
| 1996 - ongoing | Photoshop | |
| 1989 - 1991 | BA (Hons) Fine Art – University of East London | |
| 1987 - 1989 | B/TEC Diploma in General Art & Design – Amersham College F.E. | |
| Date | Event | |
|---|---|---|
| March 2017 | International Citizens Services (ICS) | |
| Dec 2016 | ICS (International Citizens Services, UK) | |
| June 2016 | Morley College | |
| July 2016 | Miscarriage Association | |
| April 2015 | VSO | |
| Sept 2014 | VSO | |
| 2013 | Gallery Sala Parpello in Valencia, Spain | |
| 2011 - 2016 | The Pocket Oxford Theatre Company – Spain | |
| 2011 | Angus Watt Artists Film – UK | |
| 2008 - 2009 | Mighty Sounds Festival – Czech Republic | |
| 2007 | Non Stop Festival – Poland | |
| 2007 | Rocket Festival – Spain | |
| 2006 | Love Music Hate Racism – Trafalgar Sq. London | |
| 2006 - 2007 | Órgiva Feria – Spain | |
| 2005 | Gypsy Film Festival – Granada, Spain | |
| 2005 | Rocket Festival – Spain | |
| 2004 | Rocket Festival – Spain | |
| 2004 | Supper Club – Amsterdam | |
| 2003 - 2005 | Discoteccas – Costa Del Sol, Spain | |
| 2003 - 2008 | The Dragon Festival – Spain | |
| 2003 - 2006 | Tribal Funk – Spain | |
| 2003 - 2006 | Opera 4 – Granada, Spain | |
| 2002 | Manumission – Ibiza | |
| 2002 | Mipenas Festival – Spain | |
| 2002 | Robodock Festival – Amsterdam | |
| 2000 - 2001 | The Vibe Bar – London | |
| 2000 - 2001 | Fabric – London | |
| 2000 - 2001 | The Royal Vauxhall Tavern – London | |
| 2000 | The Eurpean Drum & Bass Convention – France | |
| 1999 - 2000 | The Lux – London | |
| 1999 - 2001 | Femi-9 Product – London | |
| 1999 - 2000 | Warps 1 to 9 – London | |
| 1998 - 2000 | Notting Hill Arts Club – London | |
| 1998 - 2001 | Omsk – London | |
| 1996 | Portobello Film Festival – London | |
| 1996 | Four Corners – London | |
| 1996 | The Big Chill – UK | |
| 1996 | Sonar Festival – Barcelona, Spain | |
| 1995 - 2002 | Night Life – London | |
Painting
I enjoy taking risks – even if it means ruining a perfectly good piece! – just to see what happens next. I am confident in my approach and my mark making. I do not pin myself down to any one style, though I still pursue and develop technically coherent bodies of work. I mostly use a limited palette of turquoise, magenta and lemon yellow, using a mixture of palette knives and brushes. I sometimes focus on set ideas, and other times I start off with complete abstraction, building up an underpainting with random marks… letting it evolve, uncontrived. With this approach, and with turning the canvas round and round, the painting will eventually remind me of some experience, or something I have seen. Then I will either create or retrieve reference material from my archive, or paint from memory to bring out the shapes. Even though the painting here is an abstract, I see a picnic I shared with close friends on a rugged British coastline. That’s me body boarding!
Sculpture
I tend to work mostly in stoneware clay, because of its durability – and it can go outside. I prefer to model and build up my sculptures, rather than carve them down. Sometimes it can take a while for the character or shape to emerge and I have to just keep on sculpting without a clue as to what it is I am making. I have learned to trust this process. I tune into what I’m doing 100%, listening to it and becoming aware of the next step to act on. Sometimes a thought will go through my mind like, “Go on – break it’s head off, you know you can do it better.” And I do – unafraid to follow the cues.
Video
I draw upon my deep knowledge of experimental film-making to bring fresh looking (yet well-tested) ideas to my commissioned short films. I make films for web, films for conferences, and also stop frame and vector animation. I create my visual palette from scratch, developing unique characters and graphics, working with actors to recreate realistic movements and filming around on location. Film-making is like a whole language for me, where I can communicate the desired look and feel clearly by layering up images, and commissioning original soundtracks.
I film and project all my own material when live video mixing (VJing) at festivals and events. I can personalise a show and also write and mix in my “stream of consciousness” poetry. When the music is good, the visuals just flow out.
I use Modul8 for VJing, Final Cut Pro X for editing and Moho Studio Pro for animating. I use a Canon 70D and Panasonic HS900 for shooting RAW and HD.
Design
Design is a good creative discipline for me, because it means I have to rise to the challenge of interpreting someone else’s ideas. To do this, I listen to the brief… get to know who and what it’s for, and thinks deeply about what it is they need from me, what I can give extra. I give each design my own unique flourish. I get a buzz from sharing my creativity with other people, and seeing it embellish their lives and businesses. Repeat patterns, illustrations, graphic design, typography, web videos and logos are all very practical applications for art, which enrich all levels of everyday life.
My Art Heroes
Laurie Anderson is my biggest artistic influence, the content of her art is so intimate and her multi media installations have moved me to tears in the past (even though I hate crying in public). I love Helen Chadwick’s art (RIP). She expressed her femininity in such unusual ways – like her flower arrangements of male genitalia – and she brought a lot of chocolate into galleries with her chocolate fountains. Cornelia Parker’s artwork is sheer poetry to my soul. The way she captures intense moments or thoughts about life, brings shivers just thinking about it! For example, the smell and feeling of her exploded chapel, with all the pieces of burnt wood suspended in mid air… or her framed A–Z, with a hole burnt right through the open pages of central London.
