Emma Hopkins RP Artist Spotlight | Q&A

You often incorporate darker or more graphic depictions in your work with immersive, honest yet sometimes fantastical elements – where does your desire to capture this come from?

I have always seen my art as a form of therapy – it is a tool that I use to explore the world around me and within me. There are often emotions or subjects that I feel a resolve to when I see them reflected back at me through my work. I am also playful in nature and I have a lot of fun when I see an element of the unusual seep through.

Your works in the Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ Annual Exhibition are of Anji and Brian. What is your relationship to the sitters and what were you hoping to capture and convey in your depiction of the couple?

Anji and Brian are friends of mine, a married couple and both artists. I asked them if I could paint them because I find them and their relationship interesting. I wanted to convey the strong bond that they have as partners whilst also portraying their own individual characters. I have to admit too, that I wanted to explore the inevitable push and pull of power that comes into an intimate relationship.

Your work captures very raw and tender emotions, which is particularly apparent in the piece ‘Anji and Brian (Study)’. How do you go about doing this and do you think this partly comes from your choice to exclusively paint nude portraits?

There is no visible nudity in the Anji and Brian study so I wouldn’t say it comes from that. We express our emotions through our body language and our facial expressions regardless of whether or not they are clothed. The placement and the expression of the hands and faces tell us a conflicting story in this piece, as does the technique used in its creation. There is a closed eyed kiss and delicate hand, but also a firmly clasped fist and a powerful gaze straight out of the picture. The piece began with using charcoal mixed with water, an unpredictable combination that is not easily tamed, brought together with pencils and paint, in a technique that starts out fast, frantic and expressive and is finished with precise and deliberate precision.

I find a lot of satisfaction in combining opposite emotions with strength and vulnerability because that feels like a true depiction of human nature.

How do you effectively display a sitter’s identity when you are painting them nude and with a very minimalist background?

I absolutely adore looking at old scientific illustrations of plants, animals and of course anatomy. I love how the purpose of these drawings was to illustrate to the audience exactly what that specimen was with as much clarity as possible, which has influenced the way I work.

People’s minds and bodies tell us endless stories that play out through the imperfections that we accumulate through life, the way that we hold our bodies and how we express ourselves, which is something I aim to capture within my work.

Your paintings are very bold and powerful, with each portrait making a big statement, how do your sitters approach you or how do you approach them, and how do you make your sitters comfortable with your unique approach?

If somebody sparks my interest I just say to them that I’d like to paint them! There is usually a period of deliberation on their part as it requires a lot of bravery and trust for somebody to pose nude, but I apply no pressure. If that person comes back sure that they would like to go ahead with the portrait, then the next step is to formulate some rough ideas to use as guides for the sittings.

My sittings are playful and organic but hard work as I will relentlessly pursue a moment that captures something special. I’m not always sure of what that is until I feel it.

What are your favourite commissions to work on, and how would someone go about commissioning you through the RP?

My favourite commissions are those of open minded people that are not in pursuit of flattery but instead see the worth in my art’s ability to express human nature in its raw form. To go about commissioning me through the RP, you would need to contact Annabel Elton, head of commissions at the RP, who will then speak to me. You can learn more about the RP’s commission process here.

Who are your biggest artistic influences? 

There truly are so many. I love many artists with vastly different approaches but there are some favourites that I always come back to. To name but a few; Käthe Kollwitz, Egon Shiele, Euan Uglow, Frida Kahlo, Lucian Freud and Louise Bourgeois.

How did you first come across the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, and what attracted you to the society and wanting to become a member, especially as you are not the society’s usual demographic?

In 2015 I was working behind the bar at the Chelsea Arts Club. I took part in a staff exhibition where I painted the portrait of a member, Billy Murphy. Many of the members of the Chelsea Arts Club were impressed with my portrait of Billy and began, en masse, to encourage me to apply for the Bulldog Bursary. The bursary was being awarded by The Royal Society of Portrait Painters to an artist at the beginning of their career. I gave it a shot and I won!

The support that the society and Mall Galleries then showed me literally blew my mind. I had always been discouraged from pursuing painting as a career and so I had painted mostly very privately until that point. After winning the Bulldog Bursary I was given a joint show at Mall Galleries called ‘Inside Portraits’ and then awarded membership in 2017. If it wasn’t for the RP and Mall Galleries I wouldn’t have had the confidence to be who I am now.

Whose work have you most enjoyed seeing in the annual exhibition

Honestly, the whole exhibition has been wonderful! One of the things I appreciate most about every one of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters’ Annual Exhibitions is the range of different approaches to portraiture displayed. It is as diverse as we are and there is tremendous beauty in celebrating it all in one space.

– Hannah Martin

 

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Emma Hopkins and her wonderful work with her unique approach to portraiture. If you are interested in learning more about commissioning your own portrait and the range of exceptional artists the RP has to offer, make sure you take a look at the commissions page of the RP’s website. Here you are also able to contact us to view available portfolios including Emma’s.