Artist Emma Lamb creates thought-provoking organic 3D works on handmade paper. The South Devon based printmaker and mixed media artist’s work is an emotional response to our deep-rooted connection to nature, reflecting on its wonder and fragility.
Emma’s pieces are layered with meaning and history, intertwining foraged plants, raw pigments, fibres and microplastic. Where nature isn’t just her inspiration but an integral part of the work itself-a “trace of place” embedded in every piece.
Past and present interplay, allowing us room to contemplate the future state of our planet and the ever-increasing threat from climate change.
In her latest series of works Tipping Point and Reviving Mires, Emma is shining a spotlight on the fragile state of our oceans and moorlands ecosystems. Emma encourages us to reflect on the impact of climate change, pollution and human damage on these small yet significant worlds.
In Tipping Point she explores how microplastics, often found in rockpools and coastlines, are a growing environmental concern due to their impact on marine ecosystems. Embedding foraged microplastics from the shoreline into her sculptural creations on handmade casted paper, she brings attention to these tiny pollutants, creating a tangible representation of a critical environmental issue often hidden from view.
Reviving Mires invites us to engage with nature in a profound way, blending art and environmentalism to foster a deeper understanding of our ecological responsibilities. By transforming invasive plant species and carbon emissions into paper and ink, it challenges us to consider what other resources might be reimagined for environmental benefit. The materials also tell a story of the peatlands’ current state of health and the impact that invasive species, air pollution and wild fires have on these precious carbon sinks.
Delicate paper castings breathe life into the ghostly, fossil like imprints of endangered moorland plants, offering a poignant reminder of what our peatlands once harboured and what they might become if we fail to address the current crisis.
Emma Lamb’s artistic endeavours remind us of the delicate balance between nature and human activity. Her work is a call to action, urging us to protect the beauty and diversity of our planet.