Emer draws her inspiration from both her upbringing in Ireland with her family and her current residence in the highlands, where she lives with her husband and children. She draws from everything that she sees around her in the Black Isle, from the farm and woods where she lives, to her own garden.
"I prefer to focus on the small things in nature - the colours and textures of leaves, trees, branches, grasses and flowers - their variety can be just as expressive and majestic as big landscapes.
I like painting in watercolours - it’s a versatile, but difficult, medium. It can be subtle yet strong, have depth yet be transparent. You have to work fast, then wait, then fast again. I push myself with every painting to make it a new challenge, trying to use a different technique or skill. And I don’t mind making mistakes! They can often lift a painting, change it’s mood or direction, or ruin it entirely!
I hope mypaintings help remind us of the beauty of nature, in its simplicity and its complexity, and make us remember it can be found easily anywhere with just a small amount of effort to look.
It’s taken me a while to get to here. For a long time I considered my art a sideline to other career choices I’d made, and to raising a family. But I’ve realised it’s my main focus.
Although I’ve had no formal training it would be wrong to say I was self-taught - my mother, a professional artist, has been my teacher. She continues to reinvent her style, even now in her eighties, and is a true inspiration. And I’m delighted to dedicate this, my first exhibition, to her."