EMMA NIEHOF
“The Australian landscape is my inspiration, contrasting strongly with the country I grew up in. My paintings are the result of a combination of planning and spontaneity, always allowing for wonderful things to emerge in the process. Layers of paint obscure and reveal simultaneously, enhancing colours and shapes.”
Emma is a self-taught artist living in Melbourne, influenced by some great teachers while living in the Netherlands. Emma has an intuitive approach to colour and composition and values the importance of light and telling a story.
Emma has travelled extensively throughout Australia and found inspiration in the diverse colours and textures of the land: the vibrant reds and ochres of the outback, the majestic rocky escarpments of the Australian Alps, coastal cliffs along the south-east coast of Australia and the seasonal and sometimes dark-grey colours of Victoria and Tasmania. Emma often sees something a little ‘different’ in vistas such as rock-faces, cliffs and coastal landscapes, resulting in paintings that focus on colour and interpretation rather than real-life accuracy.
Emma aims to capture the feeling of a place – a sophisticated palette and abstracted forms hinting at the majesty, the time of day and mood while inviting viewers to place themselves in the landscape; allowing their imagination to wander and create their own story.
The signature on the artwork are the letters GON, for Emma’s Dutch maiden name Germa Oude Nijeweme.
Recent Exhibitions:
2020: The Environment Around Us, Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
2019: Nostalgia, Memories & Reflecting (group exhibition), Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
2018: From Here to Beyond (group exhibition); Radiant Skies (group exhibition), Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
2017: Veritable Vistas (group exhibition), Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
2016: New Directions (group exhibition), Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
2015: A Journey through Landscapes (group exhibition), Hawthorn Studio & Gallery, Hawthorn, Victoria
A selection of Emma’s work
