EMMA SAFFY WILSON
Cornwall based artist Emma saffy Wilson has delivered arts projects in galleries, museums and community based settings, whilst also continuing her own studio practice. Graduating from Falmouth University in 2000, During her Studio Ceramics Degree, students were taken to source and dig their own clay, Emma found the immediacy of this fascinating & soon began to only work with material dug herself which then lead to working just with soil, regardless of clay content.
Emma is inspired by these natural mediums and materials and their fragility and often disregarded nature. a playful and inquisitive nature combines the raw earthy material, dirt, mud and clay, evolving the material into something collectable and beautiful.
Making references to the playful childhood attraction to dirt in works and taking an alternative, often humorous, view of the negative connotations in western languag regarding dirt, earth and soil. The ‘dirt’ I collect from various sites can often feel ‘charged’ and I am drawn to create works being lead by this. A regular meditative practice of mine is making Hikaru Dorodangos (shiny mud balls) out of different earth I’ve gathered.
Emma produces fascinating textural works using both throwing and hand forming techniques.
PUBLICATIONS
WORKS
ARTIST INTERVIEW SERIES
Emma Saffy Wilson
We’re thrilled to share Emma’s story in our new series of artist questionnaire interviews, spotlighting the creative minds behind the work we exhibit and admire. In this very personal edition we speak with local West Cornwall-based artist Emma Saffy Wilson who shares what it means to devote her life to her meditative practice.
Grounded in her intuitive approach, Wilson’s practice centres around the use of raw, primal materials such as dirt, clay and discarded objects. While the world continues to consume and obsess over superficial perfection, Wilson’s practice urges us to reconnect with the essence of our material world, to find beauty in the discarded and to recognise the spiritual significance in the everyday.
Read our interview with Emma to learn more about her fascinating practise.
PAST EXHIBITIONS
Of Earth and Form
04/07/25 -08/08/25
Exhibition featuring works from Caroline Robinson, Ollie Marr, Emma Saffy Wilson, Hiroko Aono Billson and Tom Heywood.
No Place Like Home
10/07/24 -16/08/24
Exhibition featuring works from Bethany Holmes, Emma Saffy Wilson, Hiroko Aono Billson, Lara Voce and Kate Mary.
