Emma Whitelock’s work explores the relationship between landscape, memory, and solitude. Her evocative land and seascapes often feature a lone female figure—a small yet poignant presence within the vastness of nature. Her compositions balance semi-abstraction with a strong sense of atmosphere, where amorphous horizons guide the viewer through a space that feels both expansive and intimate.

Working in mixed media, Whitelock builds layers of acrylic, glazes, and inks to create depth and texture. Up close, her surfaces reveal a rich interplay of marks and scratches; from a distance, they meld into landscapes poised between reality and reverie. Colour plays a central role in her work, shifting between the dramatic and the ethereal, capturing fleeting moments at the threshold of day and night.

Her practice can be seen as a contemporary interpretation of Romanticism, merging figure and landscape to reflect inner and outer worlds. The totem-like figures in her paintings are as timeless as the land, sea, and sky—symbols of human presence within the elemental forces of nature.

Originally from Yorkshire, Whitelock studied Art and English Literature at York St John University, graduating with First Class Honours and the Humanities Prize. She went on to receive a British Academy Scholarship to complete an interdisciplinary MA by Research at the University of York. Literature continues to inform the poetic sensibility of her work.

Whitelock has exhibited widely, including in London, New York, and Singapore. She was awarded the Inspired By Gallery Supporters Prize at the inaugural North York Moors Art Awards. Based in York, she regularly exhibits across the UK and welcomes studio visits by appointment.

Awards & Recognition

• Inspired By Gallery Supporters Prize, North York Moors Art Awards

• Exhibited in London, New York, and Singapore