Emma's work is wonderfully feminine, likely because of the bright colours and women only featured. I feel like I can relate to her magazine-like collages that she lays out in her art journal. Something I would like to see more of is her unique fabric collages with stitched text—truly beautiful.
Name (Real or Screename): prettypashmina, Emma Harris
URL (Blog, Website): www.flickr.com/photos/prettypashminapics
(I am also hoping to open an Etsy shop soon!)
Location (Where are you from?): Hampshire, England
Q: Describe your work in 10 words or less.
A: Quirky, fun, retro, tongue-in-cheek, colourful.
Q: What do you like to work with (magazines, photographs, vintage)? Be specific!
A: I like to work with: my doodles and drawings, magazine pages, brown paper, stickers, ephemera, buttons, transfers / rub-ons, old clothing patterns, washing instruction symbols, ribbons, ric-rac, the list is endless!
Q: How long have you been creating collages and what made you start?
A: I have always been arty since I was a child, I used to create my own magazines and newspapers when I was around 9 years old! I kept scrapbooks and holiday diaries which I would draw in and stick in tickets, food wrappers, pressed flowers, etc. I used a lot of collage during Art GCSE exams (16 years old) and carried on through my degree and beyond. Recently I have started scrapbooking and art journaling.
Q: Are you solely an artist, or do you work in another profession?
A: I am working for a charity supporting homeless people. I am helping to organise art and craft activities. In the future I would like to study Art Therapy.
A: I have a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Textile Practice.
Q: Explain your favourite techniques.
A: Though I have studied a variety of techniques my favourite way of working is just to rip up paper and collect random bits and pieces and combine them all together. I don't follow any rules—I just use my instincts. I can spend hours moving things around before I am happy enough to stick things down! I don't have the patience for anything too technical or elaborate which I think is why I love working with paper so much.
Q: Describe your favourite piece ever created.
A: I was very pleased with all the work for my final degree show, I made 100 samples and my final pieces were 4 framed prints of collages, 2 canvases and 6 plates with my designs printed on them.
Q: What other artists do you admire?
A: I like Pop Art, particularly Andy Warhol and Peter Blake. I am also inspired by Joseph Cornell and Hannah Hoch. I also love Van Gogh and Rothko for their amazing use of colour. Andy Goldsworthy's work is fabulous too, in a way he makes 'collages' of a sort with natural materials like leaves and rocks.
Thanks Emma!