Sandra Emslie began teaching art in primary schools before attending Gray’s School of Art as a mature student in 1990. She takes influence from a variety of subject matter yet tends to be interested in using the elements of colour and pattern to evoke rather than to just describe a subject.
Drawn to the agricultural landscape of her upbringing, the part of the eastern coast between the Grampians and the sea, Emslie paints softly undulating arable land full of shifting light.
The changing seasons and the transience of light are important factors when looking for subject matter. Haymaking, harvest and ploughing, together with strong yellows and pinks of gorse and willow-herb, supply a constant source of exploration for the artist.
There is also an element of Japanese art and design in Emslie’s use of colour and pattern, as she was inspired by a trip she took there.