Into the Artist's World with Emma Crockatt
Welcome to ‘Into the Artist’s world’.
Each month i will ask an artist who is teaching a class at STILL a few questions about themselves and their practise.
This month we have Yorkshire based artist, Emma Crockatt. Emma will be teaching an ’acrylic painting and collage’ class on the 29th October 2025, 8-9.15pm GMT.
Enjoy…..
When are you most creative, a certain time of day or year?
The daily rhythms of my day to day life give me a chance to be creative in different ways. Sometimes this takes the form of drawing with my children, making a papier-mâché parrot at the primary school I work in, or joyfully collecting pine cones on a walk. At the moment generally evenings provide an uninterrupted amount of time for making my own work, however I try to make when I can!
What's your relationship with nature? Do you draw inspiration from the natural world?
I love nature, birds, animals, trees, leaves, flowers… they provide an endless source of inspiration for my work. As a child I loved being around animals and would often go bird watching with my Grandad. I feel a strong sense of connection to where I grew up and now live in York which is leafy and green with a river running through and a stones throw from magical countryside.
What is your favourite medium to work in and why?
I admire so many mediums, but for me pencil drawing, painting and cutting out shapes feels the most direct way of expressing myself. Over the last couple of years I have been painting a lot more and feel excited by all the possibilities and things to learn that this medium provides.
How has your artistic style or practice evolved over time?
Not long after graduating from art school I became so interested in how to depict something in the simplest of ways, my style of work became quite restricted. Over time, I felt that stylistic decisions were holding me back from the joy I take in observing things. Whilst I still enjoy thinking about how to distil things within an image, I now try to make careful observation a priority. Letting go of the idea of such a stylised visual language has allowed my work to evolve and within it created many more possibilities. This for me feels more enjoyable and reflective of how I see the world.
Tell me about a time when you were creatively stuck. Why and how did you get out of it?
I wouldn’t say having children made me feel creatively stuck, but the practicalities of making my own work with small people in the mix definitely changed the way I worked. Whilst I have never really stopped making, there have been longer pauses and times when I have wanted to prioritise other things. However this has really made me value creativity in all its forms. If I haven’t been able to make something directly - looking at an inspiring book, taking a photograph on a walk or buying a bunch of flowers can still feel like a creative act. I have always got a lot of joy from looking as well as making.
Tell me five of your favourite artists/designers/makers.
Mary Newcomb
Christopher Wood
Jockum Nordström
Vuillard
Mary Fedden
It’s so difficult to name just five!
