Emma Stothard Sculptor

14 June 2021 1:37 pm
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Emma Stothard Sculptor

Emma was born in Kingston-upon Hull, Yorkshire, in the early 70s, and from her early childhood had always shown a keen interest in art, as well as the surrounding countryside, where she would spend time drawing the North Sea, Spurn Point and agricultural landscape near the village where she grew up in Holderness, East Yorkshire.

Emma went to Southampton in 1991 to do a BA Hons in Fine Art, and from there went on to pursue her passion for willow sculpting, moving to Somerset – where The Somerset Levels are famous for willow – to learn traditional willow weaving and basket making, and the whole process of growing it, coppicing it and bundling it.

Emma returned to Yorkshire inspired, and with a car boot full of withies! She began making geese and other small animals such as the British hare. A visit to The Harrogate Flower Show gave her the opportunity to exhibit her sculptures, which created a great deal of interest, and the encouragement she needed to pursue her dream!

On return to Yorkshire Emma studied for her PGCE in Secondary Education, Art & Design at Bretton Hall College, Wakefield. She was surrounded by Henry Moore and Elizabeth Frink’s work which was a continual inspiration, both for teaching and also the development of her willow sculptures.

After teaching in West Yorkshire, Emma felt the call of the North Sea and took a teaching post at Whitby Community College, North Yorkshire. The college had and still has a very successful and forward thinking Art Department, which supported her development as a sculptor.

In 2001 Emma left her teaching post to embark on her career as a sculptor, and in the same year met her husband-to-be Rob Green. Their personal partnership also became a very successful business partnership, when they opened their restaurant, Green’s, in Whitby. A winning combination!

The restaurant has gained many award winning accolades, and Emma’s status as a recognised and highly acclaimed willow sculptor became firmly established.

There was an ever increasing interest in her work, and as her commissions started to roll in, her sculptures grew in size too! The Louis C Tiffany Museum and Water Gardens in Matsue, Japan, home to the largest collection of Tiffany glass in the world, commissioned Emma to create a fitting central feature to their ‘English Garden’ on the theme of East Meets West. And it continued from there…

There has been a continual stream of commissions since Emma’s first willow sculptures in 1996. She now exhibits nationally and internationally, as well as her sculptures gracing the grounds of stately homes, Galleries and private homes and gardens around the country.

In particular Emma was very honoured to have had the opportunity to make and personally present to HRH the Prince of Wales a large scale sculpture of his beloved Jack Russell dog ‘Tigga’. Made from willow grown on the Highgrove Estate. ‘Tigga’ is sited in the gardens at Highgrove, and was a ‘thank you’ gift for her loan from the Prince’s Trust, which enabled her to start her career.