Emma Pinnock

Studied Textiles Design (Ba Hons) at Manchester Metropolitan University and Fine art at Sunderland University (Ma) specialising in Print at both institutions.

I love the print process, I find that it helps me look at my work from another angle; it opens my eyes to what I’m doing in a different way to drawing and painting.

When I produce a print, I find I have to simplify my ideas down to basic shapes and motifs, usually with one colour, in doing this though I can often take my work further and develop key elements to connect the whole composition. Drawing however has always been an integral part of my work; it allows me to think aloud and is the foundation on which all my other work rests.

I am inspired by, wallpaper designs, flora and fauna (first hand observation from my own garden), landscapes, textiles, pattern and architecture in particular the baroque and rococo periods.

"Joyce" Series

I collected a number of pieces of lace that held some significant value, like my grandmothers and mothers wedding veils, mine and my brothers christening dress and lace samples collected over a period of years.
The veil in western traditions is used as part of the wedding ritual, symbolising the groom taking possession of his wife, either as a lover or as property. It was also said to represent the purity of the bride, and I think that while there is some interest in the first interpretation of the veil it is this second one that I am most interested in.
There are a number of other words that come to mind when I was exploring the veil imagery such as obscure, shroud, mask and cover, all words that describe concerns in my work. I wanted to explore layers of light and dark that obscures the spectator’s view of what might be there.

Bespoke frames can be supplied