Emma James-Ries The Artist
The Journey of Art and Inspiration
My work lives where two landscapes meet. Every piece I create is an invitation to pause, to notice, and to find beauty.
From Seedling to Sapling
My work has been shaped by a life lived between two landscapes. Between England and Aotearoa New Zealand. As a child I was exposed to the carefully cultivated gardens of the British country, then upon returning to my NZ roots as a teenager, I discovered the rugged, raw beauty of the coastlines & native bush. The two experiences have influence my artwork in a profound way. One taught me the beauty of stewardship and intention, the other taught me the beauty of wildness and resilience. My work is a place where those ways of seeing meet. I no longer make work to answer the question of where I belong, I make work from the place where I know I do.
Branching Out & Taking Root
I earned my Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Whitecliffe College of Arts & Design in 2012. Shortly after, I relocated to Sydney, where I had the privilege of working with the esteemed Kiwi photographer Adam Flipp. This experience in high-end fashion, opened my eyes to a newfound extension of appreciation for color, pattern, and form.
Upon returning to New Zealand, drawn back by its unrivalled beauty, I discovered my primary medium - timber. This marked the beginning of my journey into woodworking and the art & craftmanship of woodturning.
Beneath The Bark
This journey has allowed me to combine my deep love for the natural world and my passion to create. Wood is more than material, it is time in every growth ring, every grain and crack. My journey begins by honoring that history, that life. Through turning I am able to express that beauty is not decoration, it is a form of reverence. It invites us to slow down, to pay attention and to recognise value in the materials, landscapes and stories that surround us. Every piece I create is an invitation to notice the quiet meeting place between cultivated and wild, thought and making, memory and material.
"A well executed, technically nice piece that balances the need for a good form with the need to create a 'canvas' to cater the decoration that Emma does so well."
Creative Wood Magazine