Emily Raubenheimer

Artist Interview

What medium do you work with, and why have you chosen them?

I work mainly in acrylics though sometimes in oils as well. I love the expressive immediacy of acrylics. I often paint in the bush and I like that I can pick my pieces up and carry them home without fussing about them being wet. I am a quick painter and I like how I can I can change modes fast in acrylic. Sometimes however it is lovely to slow down and paint in oils.

How does your artwork get from initial concept to exhibition stage?

I always start with colour. For me, it’s everything. Often, I’ll stumble across a combination of colours I like—sometimes in the strangest places, like a supermarket aisle or on clothing a friend is wearing. I then become a little obsessed with those colours and start searching for objects or flowers in my surroundings that will complement them. Depending on the composition I’ve chosen, I’ll either set up in the bush to paint in situ, or I’ll arrange a still life at home. Once I’ve found the objects and flora I want to include, the painting process happens very quickly. I don’t sketch things out—I resolve everything directly on the canvas. I tend to work in very long sessions to bring a painting to an almost-finished stage. Often, I’m creating 10 or more pieces at once, moving between them. Once a painting is nearly complete, I’ll leave it for a few weeks and then make gradual tweaks until I’m satisfied.

Can you tell us a little more about your creative working environment/studio?

I am building my studio at the bottom of my garden. While it is being built – my workspace is fairly mobile. I have a box of paints I carry around to different spots in my home and garden. Other times when I paint landscapes or detailed gum leaf paintings, I work directly in the bush which surrounds my home. I am blessed to live on the Campapse River and the flora around me inspires a lot of my work.