Cape Apples from the Ceres valley in South Africa Print

"Its art that gives you a familiar sense of nostalgia no matter the subject. Its impressionistic tones blur the lines between art that challenges, the term ‘easy on the eye’ as the colours inject a dash of vivacity into each oeuvre without over powering the soft and graceful character that resonates with each stroke. Simply put, it brings a touch of refinement infused with a youthful joie de vivre to whichever room it may find itself in" Born in 1992, and brought up in a very creative household on a farm in Honeydew, Johannesburg, Emma-lee has always been gracefully exposed to the arts and the animals, and loved it. She was always given the freedom to use her mother’s studio to express herself, only her mother worked with oils and acrylics. “I never thought I was that good, painting with acrylic and oils, I liked detail and was too impatient when things wouldn’t dry fast enough, however I did enjoy sketching with charcoal and pencil, although I felt it was just as messy. My mom’s art career was inspiring, but I didn’t believe it was suited for me, so once I had graduated high school, I took a break from art and began pursuing a different dream in music, studying abroad, missing home and coming back.” Moving away from home for a while, Emma wanted to start painting again in her spare time. “Watercolour seemed to be the easiest to transport a lot without such effort, so I thought I would give it a go, and suddenly I believed I could paint.” When she was 21, Emma discovered that she was a watercolour artist. Painting what she wanted, her subjects consisted mainly of the sea and animals she loved and saw around her as a little girl, highly influenced by Beatrice Potter and old english tales and the Drakensberg Mountains. “As people enthusiastically took to my paintings, I believed I was able to truly begin a career in art, and now not only is it my livelihood, but my absolute passion.”