Artist profile
Emily
Ebbs
Emily Ebbs is based and practising on Gadigal Land. Emily recently won the Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olly Art Centre Nancy Fairfax (AIR) award, 2022. Ebbs also won the Prix Yves Hernot painting award, 2022.
Emily Ebbs’ process based practice evokes the emotional residue of trauma. She focuses on the idea of the stain. The stain shows signs of something marked or discoloured that is difficult to remove where she finds it is closely linked to the idea of trauma. It is in the staining of materials, the tearing up of unfinished or unwanted works and stitching them together with new fabric that make up her process. Her work is a way of reflecting on her past experiences where art making can aid in recovering from trauma.
Career Highlights
- Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olly Art Centre Nancy Fairfax (AIR) award, 2022
- Prix Yves Hernot painting award, 2022
- Solo Show at HAKE house of art, 2023
What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?
I usually use acrylic paint that i have mixed in large vessel with water to create a fluid paint that will sink into either unprimed canvas or other material such as muslin and linen. It is important that my materials I paint on are soft and comforting fabrics that give a sense of easement to the process.
How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?
I start by having large pieces of loose fabrics and just paint impulsively and experiment with different materials such as beeswax, until I can see and feel a body of work coming together.
Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?
The studio is like a second home for me but doesn't have all the noise of daily chores or checklists. It's a place where I can be immersed in art making and thus immersed in myself.
