We're giving a big warm welcome to our newest artist, Em Hatton! Em's art prints are unapologetic representations of life through the feminine gaze.
We talked to Em about her inspiration, the intent behind her artistic practice, and the influence of colour in her artworks.
How do you hope people feel when they see your femme figures?
I create work with a lens of ‘female gaze’, painting femme figures with agency, unapologetically resting, joyful, calm and in contemplation. Figures with straight backs and soft bellies. My goal in representing femme figures existing unapologetically in whatever state they’re in is to give audiences a reminder or permission to do the same.
My art practice came out of a need to create a space of psychological safety, joy and comfort in my own life, and in my work I try to create for others what I struggle to give myself - calm, safety, rest and a safe space for anger and power.
When I paint I’m processing things, difficult emotions or thoughts, and in making work I externalise and transmute those things into a reality I want to manifest (Calm? Rest? Ease?) When people see my work I want to be able to share a piece of the manifested new reality, state of being or feeling with them and when a collector resonates with it and takes it home it’s like sharing a piece of that with them and they become a part of that journey.
While the work I create is really joyful and bright my starting point is often difficult emotions or experiences, often my collectors have shared lived experience and can also see within the work where it originated from and what it’s trying to heal.
The most powerful thing about creativity is being able to alchemalise what is tough and transmute that into something better and I see that as my job - a great quote that resonates strongly with me is “Art is sometimes creating for yourself the medicine you seek, which in turn becomes the medicine you offer to the world in creating it and sharing it” Yumi Sakagura
How do you decide whether a figure will be resting, raging, or riding in your next piece?
This totally depends on my mood or what I’m processing at the time - often if I’m in a frivolous mood my work tends to skew ‘Riding’ and very camp (Think: cowgirls riding prawns, lobsters or ibises) or if I’m needing rest I tend to paint figures unapologetically lounging, in contemplation and away from the threat of being perceived.
I have been in a big ‘rest’ phase recently in my work but I am starting to graduate into my riot girl raging era - anger is such an interesting emotion and something that female identifying individuals have been discouraged or shamed from expressing - but it’s also suuch an empowering emotion that necessitates action. I’ve got a series in the works at the moment exploring this. Female rage is such an interesting topic.
Whether resting, riding or raging I think the key with a lot of my work given its feminist focus is the unapologetic nature of existing in whatever state we’re in and removing judgement from ourselves, we’ve grown up with so many conflicting messages and pressure so we mute and we edit and we show up based on what others need. I want my work to be a joyful encouragement to allow yourself to unapologetically show up and just be as you are free of judgement.
What inspires your colour palettes and this striking, flat style you’re known for?
Honestly with colour – very disparate and random things but I am colour contrast and theory obsesseddd! I’m one of those people who goes through colour obsessions where I might wear all the same colour or combination for a period of time - one day I will be that old lady you see on the train dressed all in one colour.
I went through a big blue/red/yellow/pink period and I’m moving into a green period with slightly earthier tones. I loveee unexpected colour combinations. I’ve been to India and Japan multiple times and while absolutely the opposite in culture, custom and colour tone both of these countries nail colour theory like no others. I’ve got a massive reference album on my phone of totally random and poor quality blurry photos I’ve taken over the years of delicious colour combos, I’m always on the lookout.
My art style is inspired by my design and art study and interests; Japanese woodblock printing, textiles, my love of interior spaces, interior scenes by Manet and Cassat, the joy and colours of Matisse and Gaugin.
I have a bachelor of design from UNSW: Art and Design and I worked for years as an interior architect and graphic designer doing digital illustration and textile design on the side. I’ve translated my digital illustration style I’ve developed, design and colour sensibility into paintings with flattened forms, hyper pigmented bold colour contrasts, with a focus on line and form over shading.
How has moving from your backyard shed to a big shared studio changed the way you create?
Last year I transitioned from working in a tiny shed I built in the garden (when I say tiny I mean tiny - 1.8x1.5m) to moving into a Mothership Studios, a shared artist warehouse community of makers, musicians and artists.
Joining Mothership has made the process of making work sooo much easier and calmer - it’s a space where once I enter the boundary I am in the zone to make things, where I can make a total mess, go full ‘art goblin’ and forget I’m a person. Making art is all about cultivating a state of presence and focus (rest and digest etc), and I’m a firm believer in your physical space setting you up for that.
I also find engaging with other artists, musicians and creatives is so mutually helpful and supportive. It’s so important to have a community of people with shared experiences across disciplines to celebrate, commiserate with or be there to exchange ideas and chat about what each other is working on.
What do you often hear people say about your work?
What I’ve heard from audiences is that my work brings joy and makes them feel calm and safe - and I think that's the main thing I want to manifest and do for people.
Authenticity and meaning is also a big thing I hear from people and something I aim for - first and foremost the paintings are often about an idea first or a concept and my style necessitates that. I’m not really interested in making work according to trends or what’s fashionable. I’m always trying to get to something meaningful or true that I can share with others while being true to my own style, and because I come from a design background and have disparate influences my style is a unique mish mash of all of these.
And while the work I create is really joyful and bright, my starting point is often difficult emotions or experiences and often I have people who have shared lived experience and can also see within the work where it originated from and what it’s trying to heal.
I love hearing people’s interpretation of my work too, what they see and what part of their story resonates with it - that's one of my favourite parts of selling my work is hearing others' experiences.
What advice would you give to emerging artists?
- Be patient and give yourself time - create a base, take the time to develop a style that is unique and true to you
- Avoid pinterest because I believe the algorithm is flattening everyone's sensibilities - cultivating a unique voice is really important because otherwise you’ll just blend into what everyone else is doing.
- There’s no making it or not making it, it's all trial and error and one foot in front of the other
- Working a job while making art doesn’t make you any less of an artist - having a job to support you allows you to be more choosy with your energy/projects.
- Your work is not everyone's cup of tea and that is a good thing.
