Artist Spotlight: Emma Stenhouse

This week we chat to Emma Stenhouse, a proud Ngarrindjeri woman and a contemporary indigenous artist on a journey of self discovery, deepening her connection with family, exploring her heritage, and inspired by her love of Country. 

We are shining he spotlight on Emma Stenhouse, proud Ngarrindjeri woman and a contemporary indigenous artist, she is inspired by her heritage and love of country, and that is reflected in her beautiful art.

Tell us a bit about yourself…

I am a proud Ngarrindjeri woman and a contemporary indigenous artist on a journey of self discovery, deepening my connection with my family, exploring my heritage, and inspired by my love of Country. 

I encapsulate my knowledge in my storyworks formed by my deep relationship to land and guided by strong female role models in my community.    

Growing up in Broken Hill, Outback New South Wales, I intrinsically drew on my connection to the arid lands of the bush.  This is often evident in my use of colours inspired by the red dirt, and the simple concepts of nurturing nature and to continue its growth and sustainability.  I now reside by the beach and explore the shades of green & blue reflected in the region.  

The lush green fields, hills and the blues of the many waterways and the Southern Ocean.  

A clear highlight for our team is we just love  having a platform to support Australian artists, take a closer look at Emma Stenhouse's art here at The Block Shop.

How long have you been producing your art?

I guess as far back as I can remember, I've always been a creative person. 

I spent a lot of time in my childhood watching my nan who was a seamstress. 

She was creating with lots of different fabrics. And I just really remember watching her hands with all the different buttons, I've always been drawn to the smaller detail in things.

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I can't create the art that I create without having the connection that I have to my culture. 

That's all come about through weaving, which people see as traditionally a woman's work. 

I've been able to really focus all of my artwork on the softness of the women in our culture. Don't get me wrong, we're really fierce women. We're very capable and strong women. But at the same time, we all have a softness and I think that's been a huge influence on my work not just in the colour palette, but the stories that I want to share as well.

I really want to celebrate the strong women and I guess be a role model for the younger generations that are coming through.

"I can't create the art that I create without having the connection that I have to my culture." Emma Stenhouse is passionate about her culture and the land, her work is strongly inspired by both of these.

How would you describe your art?

All of my artwork comes from my connection to country and my connection to land wherever that may be. 

Growing up, all of my cousins were boys. So we spent a lot of time doing our own thing, we'd get up in the morning, jump on our bikes, and we'd head off, you know, our parents would have no idea where we were, we'd have to be home when the streetlights came on. 

We went everywhere around Broken Hill, which is quite an amazing landscape. 

I spent a lot of time thinking about that as an adult, and how I can represent that. To me, it's the colour palette that's really strongly reflected in my artwork. 

The feeling I get when I have bare feet standing on the red dirt at home, it's a connection that I can't really put into words. It's a defining space for me. I love that there's a hardness to it as well. When you have your feet in the sand, it's comforting. Since I moved to Warrnambool, I've developed a really strong relationship with the ocean. I'm quite terrified of being in it, but I love to just sit and reflect on the beauty of it. And just the wildness of it. 

I feel extremely lucky to kind of have these two vastly different places as the places that I now call home.

"Since I moved to Warrnambool, I've developed a really strong relationship with the ocean. I'm quite terrified of being in it, but I love to just sit and reflect on the beauty of it. And just the wildness of it. "

Are there any particular artists that inspire you?

Gabriella Possum Nungarrayi, she is a renowned Aboriginal Artist and her work is absolutely stunning, her use of colour and the stories she shares are definitely my favourite. 

I also admire Pro Hart - Being born and bred in Broken Hill I grew up seeing the progression of his pieces, my favourites are his dragonfly works. 

Its cheesy to say but the ‘Artist’ who inspires me most is mother nature - colour palette, textures… nature is at the heart of all my work and my biggest source of inspiration

Where do you like to create your art?

I create anywhere… kitchen floor, in the car (weaving), in hotel rooms and on Country.

I'm working towards having a studio custom built, much to the relief of my husband and sons as they are constantly living around my artwork and materials everyday, it's less than ideal - but you gotta work with what you have. 

When asked where Emma creates her artwork she said "anywhere" and she meant it! One of her favourite places to create is on country where she draws so much of her inspiration from.

Do you have a playlist / podcast you like to create to?

I have a painting playlist and lets just say it's eclectic. 

From the 80’s, first nations artists, Coldplay and then through some high energy tunes and some powerhouse female singers. 

Podcasts are definitely my night painting companion - anything about self reflection, psychology and a bit of true crime. There are so many interesting people out there!!

What does a typical day look like for you?

My ‘typical' work day doesn’t really exist! 

I could be working at home, teaching in a school, presenting workshops or pretending to be a business woman. 

If it's a day painting at home the days are set out in blocks. School run first then base coating/canvas prep. Midday session is blocking in the shapes and mixing colour to create the palette and then in the arvo it's working on the finer details of the artwork.

I tend to have around 8 pieces on the go at once so I’m not literally watching paint dry. It keeps me interested and inspired. I struggle to switch back to mum and wife mode at night because I’m surrounded by my work… hence the need for the studio.

How do you fit your art around life/kids?/work- Any tips?

I actually laughed - I'm the worst, if I’m in the zone I find it extremely difficult to step away, and because I’m a poor sleeper I will often still be painting well into the night. 

My most significant goal for this year has been to find a much better balance. Let's just say it's a work in progress. 

But scheduling travel by my business manager has been a game changer. 

My boys are both teenagers (13 & 18) so they don’t need me (apparently I’m cringe) as much as when they were younger. They are a bit more independent , but it's so important for us to have family time together, so we make sure that happens often.

Favourite holiday destination?

My favourite holiday destination is probably not the typical wish list destination … I LOVE exploring the Northern Territory for its natural beauty and I enjoy remote travel, not a fan of big crowds and tourist destinations , closely filled by exploring the Coorong.

Having grown up in Broken Hill and now living with her family in Warrnambool Emma said "I feel extremely lucky to kind of have these two vastly different places as the places that I now call home"

Hardest person to buy a gift for?

Without a doubt - my husband Shane, and it's only hard because he is into punk music and I have no idea who most of the bands are! He loves Vinyl records so that helps

What would you buy yourself from The Block Shop?

This is a very tricky question for me!!! We are in the process of building ourselves, so the short answer is I want everything. I currently have my eye on some of the bedside tables a side table 

Favourite house decorating trend?

My favourite decorating trend would have to be having greening indoor spaces, I’m a proud plant mumma , I particularly love collecting different cactus and using elements of nature

Most decadent thing in your house?

Most decadent thing in my house is my collection of Aboriginal artwork.. painting, weaves and items that have been passed down.

Oldest and/or daggiest thing you have in your house that should be thrown out but you just can’t bring yourself to?

I literally laughed out loud when I read this question - oldest and or daggiest thing I have in my house that should be thrown out but I just can’t bring myself to, the initial thought was me!!!

I'm definitely daggy. But I’m going to say our kitchen table… It was a wedding gift, it’s solid but has unfortunately now become my paint table, I can’t part with it but it might live in the studio once it's built so when people come over that aren’t dining amongst the paint splatters.

"That's all come about through weaving, which people see as traditionally a woman's work. I've been able to really focus all of my artwork on the softness of the women in our culture. Don't get me wrong, we're really fierce women. "

Favourite room of the house…. 

My bedroom, I love an afternoon nap or weaving in bed with the electric blanket on and the mountain of cushions that I find are necessary on a bed, but the husband doesn’t cope with removing them. 

If you could renovate one room in your house which would it be?

We are building so I feel like instead of which room I would like to renovate in our rental it would have to be the ensuite so that it has a bath - nothing beats a soak in the tub after a full day of painting, best thing to soothe tired muscles. 

Have you built your own house?

In the process right now of building our new home - the team have just finished sanding the plastering so its starting to get very excited 

Favourite decor item in the house?

Favourite decor item in our house - I have several and yes this will be cringe for my boys but I have a sculpture Lachie created at school and Fraser’s first ‘Aboriginal’ artwork… he painted a story using Iconography. 

My third is an artwork by Karena Zerefos - it's a beautiful watercolour of a young girl, it's how I think my Daughter (who has passed away) would look like now.

I’m more of a sentimental person in terms of home decor. Things have to have meaning, that’s a huge influence on my decor choices

Its cheesy to say but the ‘Artist’ who inspires me most is mother nature - colour palette, textures… nature is at the heart of all my work and my biggest source of inspiration.

Favourite artwork you own?

A circular weave that I created myself and had professionally framed. The weave will take pride of place in our new home as a strong reminder of my connection to family and my culture.

Most treasured possession (other than kids or partner!)

That’s a tough question!!! 

I hold everything close to my heart. Anything that anyone has ever hand made for me. But if I had to choose one thing I’d have to say my new car. 

It's the first car I have ever purchased on my own from my business - I have worked really hard to save and I spend a huge chunk of time travelling. I feel safe and very proud that I have achieved that

Know anyone else who hasn’t been featured on The Block but should be?

Totally cheeky - me!!!! 

But maybe as a contestant, I know that would be very entertaining

A perfect Sunday afternoon would be….

Sitting at the beach on a warm day with my boys

Anything that you are loving at the moment that you would like to share with us?

I love creating my own ochre… Smashing rocks is therapeutic and then the process itself of grinding them to a fine dust, mulling, levigating and then creating artwork with them - so satisfying .

We want to say a huge thank you to Emma Stenhouse for her time and passion, I feel a weaving lesson on the horizon for the Block Shop Girls!

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