Emma's Story

Emma was born in Liberia, West Africa in 1967 and lived in England before arriving in New Zealand aged six, where she resides in the beautiful twin harbour city of Auckland.

At age ten, Emma's father, then a cardiologist, insisted that she paint flowers on the walls and windows of the coronary care unit where he worked. This lead to a lifelong interest in the power of nature and beauty to uplift and promote healing and wellbeing. To this end, Emma has donated works to hospitals, hospices, oncology units and many other places of wellbeing. Scientific studies support the fact that flowers can provide physiological and psychological advantages such as stress reduction

A former nurse, Emma lived in London in the early 1990s where she fell in love with photography at the Camera Club in Leicester Square; here she learnt darkroom techniques and took part in her first group exhibition.

On her return to New Zealand, she became one of the country’s foremost editorial photographers, working freelance for over 20 years and winning numerous awards. 

Exhibition History

In 1992, Emma began exhibiting her art photography and has established a strong following. In 2016, she was the only New Zealand artist to be invited to appear at the Royal Academy’s Summer Exhibition in London, shortlisted as a finalist in 2019 and she exhibited there again in 2022.   

In addition to her well-known Floral Portraits/Imperfect (2010–present) other collections include Embellish (2017) and A Little Garden (2018). As Emma continues to diversify and explore new territory, recent series' include Interrupted Eden (2019–present) and her newest series of work Florasssemblage (2021-present) interweaving photographic and painted mark-making.

One-person exhibitions:

2023, Florassemblage, Ellerton Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2023, Spirit of Eden, Boyd Dunlop Gallery, Napier, NZ
2022, Bloom, Anna Sieber Gallery, Michigan, USA
2021, Love, Boyd Dunlop Gallery, Napier, NZ
202, The Impossible Garden, Alberton House, Auckland, NZ
2019, A Little Garden, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018, Embellish, Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke, NZ
2017, Embellish, Smyth Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014, New Work, Black Asterisk Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2014, Imperfect, Black Asterisk Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2013, Imperfect, Diversion Gallery, Picton, NZ
2012, Imperfect, Red Gallery, Nelson, NZ
2012, Imperfect, Black Asterisk Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2001, Bloom, Chiaroscuro Gallery, Auckland, NZ

Group exhibitions:

202, Summer ExhibitionRoyal Academy, London, UK
2021, Flower Fever, Fållnäs Gard, Sorunda, Sweden
2021, Open, Becker Minty, Sydney, Australia
2020, Semicolon, Föenander Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2020, Flora & Fauna, Föenander Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2020, Grounded, Artsy/Daniel Raphael Gallery, London, UK
2019, Salon des Refusés, Camden Image Gallery, London, UK
2019, On Paper, Artis Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2019, Sea Conversations, Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke, NZ
2019, Nature Morte, NKB Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018, A Garden on the Wall, Jonathan Grant Gallery, Auckland, NZ
2018, Anthophile, Daniel Raphael Gallery, London, UK
2018, Sizzle, The Waiheke Art Gallery, Waiheke, NZ
2017, Not Just Flowers, The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2016, The Summer Exhibition, Royal Academy, London, UK
2016, The Birthday Invitational, The Artist’s Room, Dunedin, NZ
2016, The Flower Show, The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2015, Botanical works, Tree Gallery, Whanganui, NZ
2015, A & P Show, The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2015, Bloom, Opus Gallery, Whakatane Museum, NZ
2014, The Flower Show, The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ
2014, Light Side/Dark Side, Millennium Gallery, Blenheim, NZ
2012, Fabulous Darling, Black Asterisk, Auckland, NZ
2012, Opening Show, The Vivian Gallery, Matakana, NZ

and more.