Emma J Williams, who won last year’s Swire Ridgeway Arts Prize, tells us about her work ahead of the Longwick Art Show this month
Art and wellbeing are definitely woven together for Emma J Williams. As well as making and exhibiting her beautiful artwork, drawings, collages and oil paintings inspired by the local landscape, she teaches art and wellbeing as part of the Bucks Adult Learning team.
The artist and tutor moved to Princes Risborough 12 years ago to raise her children. “I’ve always loved making art,” she tells us. “After leaving secondary school in Rugby, where I grew up, I went to art college and then on to do a degree at Norwich Art School and an MA in London. I create drawings, collages and oil paintings with the local landscape providing me with lots of inspiration. My work usually incorporates maps somewhere as well either using the map to draw on or to collage with.
“I love how close we are to the Chilterns – I can see Whiteleaf Cross from where I live and one of my favourite walks is up on the Ridgeway path to Brush Hill Nature Reserve with the lovely with over Risborough to Bledlow Ridge and beyond to Oxfordshire. I also love walking in the woods behind Whiteleaf Cross and around Pulpit Hill. This is where I get a lot of my inspiration for my ongoing tree drawings.”
Emma won last year’s Swire Ridgeway Arts Prize. The Ridgeway National Trail between Overton Hill at Avebury World Heritage Site and Ivinghoe Beacon in the Chilterns is a historic monument, artistic inspiration, a natural environment and more. To find out about entering this year visit Swire Ridgeway Arts Prize
You can admire work by Emma & others at Longwick Art Show 21st-23rd February at Longwick C of E School in Walnut Tree Lane, HP27 9SJ; visit longwickartshow.co.uk
Emma will also exhibit at the Pop-Up Art Exhibition at the Chilterns Neuro Centre in Wendover in March. “Both are great exhibitions to take part in and to visit,” adds Emma, “with lots of fantastic local art to see and buy and helps raise money. I also regularly exhibit with The Bucks Art Society – I’ve been a member since 2020 and I also open up my studio to the public during Bucks Art Weeks in June.
“There’s so much to enjoy locally. La Crepe Escape on the High Street is a real treat for a coffee and a pancake or a milkshake and Cymbeline Art and Cards is worth a visit for lovely cards and gifts.”
For more info about Emma’s work, please visit Axis | Emma J Williams and follow @emmajwilliamsart on Instagram.
