Earthly Escape with Emma Nancarrow: Cover Story
What makes a piece of art speak, what attracts and entices you to cross the room for a closer look and what keeps you looking, holding your gaze? For Emma Nancarrow, our Winter cover artist, the answer is simple – colour, and her life would be unrecognisable without it! Jodie Cameron visits Emma’s studio to unearth the inspiration behind this Noosa native’s strikingly serene and diverse collection of art…
Nestled in the foothills of Mount Tinbeerwah, as I arrive at Emma’s rural haven I am greeted by Buddy the Australian Shepherd, who clearly loves being part of the action and is right at home in the lush, natural landscapes and tranquil billabongs.
Emma’s home is a piece of art in itself – a rammed-earth residence laden with stylish treasures both old and modern, including the newest addition, a studio where Emma creates private commissions and custom pieces while combining her love of interior design. Her keen eye is evident from the rustic and raw materials of her surroundings to the earthiness of her artwork that adorn the walls of her studio.
The first painting I see when I walk into Emma’s studio is Take me Back – a stunning free-flowing abstract of a gorge in the Northern Territory, its deep, rich ochre tones reminiscent of the Australian outback and the inspiration behind many of Emma’s landscapes.
“My best friend and our families travelled to Uluru to celebrate our 40th birthdays and we visited all the spectacular ranges,” Emma recalls. “I took so many photos — the colours were amazing; as were the camel rides and dinner under the stars – I came back really inspired from that trip.”
As Emma’s son begins rounding up the cattle outside the studio, I can’t help but relax as I take in the exquisite surroundings. Life is calm for this self-taught creative girl at heart – well, when there aren’t mowers, motorbikes or tractors on the go!
Growing up in Sunshine Beach, Emma was part of the first grade one class at Sunshine Beach State School and to this day, is still friends with her schoolmates.
“My parents have been on the Coast for over 50 years, I grew up with the best of both worlds – the beach and riding horses in the hinterland,” she says.
She studied Art and Commercial Graphics at high school and undertook many artistic courses over the years including ceramics, photography and floristry design. Working exclusively with acrylics, Emma’s art brings to life abstract, aerial, native, floral, still life, landscapes and animals while drawing on inspiration from the world around her – including blooms from her gardens, as she loves bringing the outside in.
“I love gardening and native gardens; being outside and watching how new life grows and am amazed how I can chop it, bring it inside and paint it,” says Emma.
Undertaking a floristry course early in her career paved the way for Emma’s artistic adventures, while combining her deep love of colour and earthy interiors.
“I pretty much subscribe to every interior design magazine that’s out there; I love the combination of finding that perfect piece of artwork that fits into a particular space and suits the overall design,” she says. “I love everything from country shacks to modern farmhouses. My style is eclectic, but contemporary with a homely feel, and I like to mix and match, old with new and some handmade too.”
Living an idyllic childhood on the Coast and now, a contented family life with her husband Carl and two sons Charlie and Levi, creative genes run deep in Emma’s family, particularly on her mother’s side.
“My Grandmother and my Aunt were both very experienced ceramicists so I inherited the pottery gene and I’ve enjoyed learning more about it throughout my life,” she says.
Emma’s Mum is also very creative, with the duo sharing a passion for floristry, the inspiration behind Emma’s floral series. Her mum used to enter Ikebana contests when she was younger; Ikebana or ‘making flowers alive’ is the Japanese art of flower arrangement and when you see Emma’s floral paintings, you can see the family talent runs deep.
Being an artist can sometimes be isolating, so Emma enjoys spending time with her artistic community, and participating in workshops at Cooroy’s Atelier 34 on anything from pottery and photography, to weaving.
“I love Atelier 34 because the space is so inspiring and I am instinctively drawn to anything that’s creative where I get to meet other people and keep that creative flow going,” she says.
Emma’s naturally warm and gentle demeanour is endearing, and her pure passion for painting is evident in the way her eyes smile as she shares that most of her subjects are from her garden, just outside the studio. Emma’s stunning native floral series and the way she captures the texture, almost looks like a photograph.
“I paint from memory some of the time, but I capture a lot of what I paint through photos I have taken myself of flowers in my garden or from images people send me,” Emma says.
While Emma adores painting florals, they are very detailed and tend to require more focus and accuracy so she loves having artistic licence to mix it up with different styles, depending on her mood. Her abstract work is a combination of both – an inspirational photo that she likes and adds her own style to, or photos from places she’s travelled to.
“When I am feeling really bold and loose, I will focus on something abstract,” she says. “I enjoy working in different styles and it’s nice to paint something detailed then switch and paint something free and varied.”
Working with local and interstate interior designers, Emma produces signature and large-scale pieces to enhance any interior space from hotel foyers to aged care facilities – anywhere that needs colour and vibrancy, including Imperial Hotel Boutique in Eumundi and Essence at Peregian Beach, where her art is featured in the individual houses.
“I work with colours based on the concept of what it’s going with in the house, so I like to use bold colours but with earthy ochre tones that will warm up a space while complementing the other items of furniture in the house or room,” she explains. “The artwork can bring the whole project together.”
The beauty of Emma’s work is the local elements she carries throughout, and I am particularly intrigued by her Aerial Series, which she paints from images of maps and features earthy masculine colours but also edgy free-flowing abstract work.
“The Aerial Series has been really popular with everyone, but in particular males because I think sometimes the guys find it difficult to find artwork that they really love or have something they can associate it with,” she says. “The aerials resonate because they can point out a lake or a golf course – it puts things into perspective.”
With the completion of her home studio, Emma is excited to be part of Noosa Open Studios which will give visitors a unique glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of their favourite local artists from 30 August to 8 September .
“I am looking forward to opening my studio to the public for the first time, it’s been a long time in the making but I am excited to be having my studio full of original artworks and reproductions for viewing and purchase,” she says.
I spy Emma’s thriving veggie garden out the window so we wrap up our time with a tour and as we meander through her gorgeous gardens, chat about a giant hare who keeps eating all of their lettuce; meet the family pony, Cowboy; and visit a glamorous chicken coop – I feel like this place really is heaven on earth.
Meeting Emma has inspired me to spend more time in the garden and bring some Ikebana into my home. She has also reminded me just how important it is to stop, go slow and appreciate the natural beauty and colour in life that surrounds us with every turn.
“I simply cannot imagine my life without colour or art,” she says. “It is the finishing touch that can complete any space.”
