Emma Davies

Textile sculptor

©Chris Budgeon

Transforming unexpected materials into art

Emma is a self-taught plastic and multimedia sculptor
She experimentally uses readily available, often reclaimed materials
Her approach transforms a variety of materials into beautiful creations

Melbourne-based Emma Davies first realised she loved working with her hands in Milan, Italy, in 1992 when she worked in a print workshop. When she returned to Australia, she found a studio and began working up sculptures with resin and fibre glass. After ten years, she turned to polypropylene plastic to craft inventive and creative installations. Emma's methodology is entirely self-taught and innovative, with her own unique expression in unexpected materials for an experimental approach. Emma takes inspiration from the natural world, contradicting the man-made element of the materials she uses. Their texture influences her as she weaves and welds them into sculptures, reshaping them to take on organic forms.

Interview

©Chris Budgeon

©Chris Budgeon

Can you tell me more about your materials?: I work with polypropylene packaging and baler twine. I use this material for its qualities and availability. Due to the scale of my installations, I prefer lightweight materials so as not to load the forms.
How did you find your style?: I arrived at polypropylene because I did not have the patience to learn the traditional method of weaving. As such, I found I could stitch and heat the material to weld and weave my forms.
Do you ever co-create artworks?: I love to collaborate with other artists and have done so many times. I especially enjoy working with different cultures. I did a beautiful collaboration in West Arnhem Land with Gunbalanya weavers in Northern Territory, Australia.
Has your making taken you anywhere interesting?: The South Project in Soweto, South Africa stands out. It was a residency around connecting with artists in the southern hemisphere. I have also travelled for exhibitions and collaborations to varied places like Japan and the remote Torres Strait Islands off the coast of Australia.

Emma Davies is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1993