Emilia Symis graduated from Norwich University of the Arts in 2019 with a BA(Hons) degree in Fine Art, in the same year she was fortunate enough to make the final of the John Ruskin Prize and was awarded the winner of the Bishop’s Art Prize. Since graduating, Emilia has exhibited across the country and sold work worldwide.

 

Using food and flowers as her subject, Emilia creates weird and wonderful paintings that catch the eye. She is drawn to this subject matter because of the vivid colours but also because of their desirability and purity, thus allowing her to tarnish it in her artwork. Emilia's paintings are initially designed to be beautiful or delicious, but when dissected, they can sometimes have an unexpected or peculiar undertone. Underneath the bright colours and dazzling textures, Emilia's paintings can also depict deeper societal or environmental issues that usually become apparent after reading the title of the artwork.

​

Emilia's latest body of work focuses on food & drink. The collection celebrates the enjoyment and excitement that she and many others feel when eating and drinking. Life is too short to not add sprinkles to your morning pancakes or whipped cream on top of your mocha. Her paintings capture the extravagant orders that people who don’t care about being judged would make, the controversial orders like extra pineapple on pizza, or pickled onions in a martini. Emilia’s aim is for the viewer to be so immersed in the paintings that they are able to imagine the smell and taste of the food, people picking up drinks, chatting, laughing, the kind of music that might be playing. The recent inclusion of hands around the proximity of the canvas help to give this context, the hands are often very feminine and sport brightly coloured nail polish, adding another level of aestheticism to the work.

 

To read more about each painting, please click on the Flowers or Food & Drink pages, and then click on the painting of interest. You can email Emilia at emilia.symis@gmail.com if you have any further questions.