The Artist
Emma Knowles
was born in Liverpool, Merseyside in 1967 and currently lives
in Stretford, Manchester with her partner and two children.
She has exhibited
all around the UK, and she has been commissioned by individuals
and international companies, most recently by the Standard Chartered
Bank of India's London office.
Working from
her studio at her Old Trafford home, she has maintained an artistic
practice for nearly 20 years.
Emma grew
up in an artistic environment, where she believes that the ready
availability of art books around the home, and the opportunity
to see art being created every day by her parents, was beneficial
in her own journey to become an artist.
Of her work,
Emma says:
"My
painting so far has been predominantly based upon the human
figure. This has developed over the years, ranging from working
directly from life, using photography and, more recently, mixed
media.
The human figure is nearly always represented in portrait form,
attempting to capture the strength and presence an individual
possesses."
She says that
throughout her artistic practice the human form has dominated
her subject matter. She paints, sometimes directly from life,
which she maintains has always been an intuitive process.
Sometimes
using photography as a source, she strives to capture the essence
of an individual - their characteristics, bold and without any
distraction, 'warts and all'.
Emma initially
trained at Bangor Technical College in North Wales before moving
to Norwich School of Art where she was awarded her degree Fine
Art, and then on to Sunderland University where she earned her
Post Graduate Teaching Certificate.
Her teaching
career has been extensive, including Bolton College of Higher
Education, Gwynedd Technical College in Bangor, Edge Hill College
in Ormskirk, Blackburn College of Higher Education, St Helen's
Community College, Wirral Metropolitan College, and at HM Prison
Risley.
Emma currently
lectures at Tameside College, Ashton-under-Lyne. She is a member
of the Royal Cambrian Academy, and of the Manchester Academy of
Fine Arts.
More of Emma's
work can be seen at her website:
www.theArtGallery.co.uk.
She can also
be contacted at:
The Art Gallery,
PO Box 100,
Manchester
M16 0FP
Tel: 0161-881
5551.
Mob: 07866 627 599
Email: art@theartgallery.co.uk.
