Art Travel Q & A – Emma Gamble

𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙄 𝙗𝙚𝙚𝙣 𝙖 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙛𝙤𝙧? 𝙄𝙨 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝘿𝙉𝘼?

I’d say it’s definitely in my DNA. My mum and her mum are creatives. Knitting, sewing, crochet, drawing, spinning and dying wool etc. Mums always got at least one project on the go!

My dad is also very artistic. I remember him forever drawing formula 1 cars. Up until recently his fridge was covered in late night sketches. They’ve got a new fridge now which is currently free of graffiti haha all except a drawing of a mushroom I drew when I was visiting that I recently got tattooed on my arm. Both my parents have my embroidery on their walls… pretty cool that it’s by choice these days. Not like when you’re a kid and obligated to pin your kid’s art up ahah!

𝘿𝙤 𝙄 𝙧𝙚𝙛𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮𝙨𝙚𝙡𝙛 𝙖𝙨 𝙖 𝙘𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙤𝙣, 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙨𝙩?

I think the process is a craft, but the result is art. Embroidery is so antient that I think it has to be a craft first.

It’s only been in the last year really that I consider and call myself an artist. That’s largely thanks to Megan Dickinson. Who gave me my first taste of gallery action, this time last year over Christmas and then in August for my first solo exhibition. That was pretty cool. There are still some pieces left from that show if you’re into a bit of profanity and colour!

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙙𝙤 𝙄 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚?

Mostly in my lounge. I don’t have a studio or anything (yet). I have my little corner decked out with everything I need with in arms reach… just like when I was little, and I’d have a ring of what I needed to create around me!

The great thing about embroidery is you can take it anywhere.

I’ve taken it to school pick up, to the beach, on trips away, to friend’s houses. Anywhere I might have 5 minutes to add a few more stitches.

𝙒𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙖𝙢 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩?

I love lots of types of art. Love pottery especially since I have a few house plants and love them in special pots. A few people I’ve bought from recently are, Amy from A.M.Ceramic Amanda from Crafternoon Collective, loving my new cup from Rosy & Rich.

Pretty much everyone Megan has through her gallery I love. Whangarei Girls High School had an exhibition, and I bought one of the mushroom prints one of the high school girls had done.

Meg Wilsons floral art blows my mind!

𝙃𝙖𝙨 𝙘𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙙 𝙖𝙛𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙥𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙚?

Yeah, for sure. But probably for the better. Except for my exhibition being interrupted by level 3. But the lockdowns have given me time to think about new designs, try new things, focus on a project with less ‘life’ interruptions. Lockdown is almost like bonus time.

𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠?

I currently have hoops up in Megan Dickinson Gallery gallery, I have facebook and Instagram pages.

My handle is @MossStitch

All images copyright the artist