'Bold', 'assured' and 'sensual' are all words that describe the work of Emily Crockford. No matter what she turns her eye to – whether it be the natural environment, Australiana or people within her orbit – she transforms it all into a lyrical universe of bold colour and intricate pattern. Bright hues sit alongside areas of fine detail, passionate energy exists simultaneously with areas of quiet contemplation.

Emily Crockford profile shot Studio A website.jpg

Emily has a long exhibition history and is well known for her major public art commissions: a 39 metre mural for Westpac’s Concord offices, two works for the City of Sydney’s Creative Hoardings Project (Midnight Zoo, 2019 & Sydney Opera House at Night, 2017), a 175 square metre collaborative mural for the University of Technology Sydney (Bird Life Jungle Disco, 2019) and a major hoarding for Lendlease at Barangaroo titled Garden Pop Bird Bop (2020). Recently she unveiled Oysters Eating Rainbows (2020), an 81.5 metre mural commissioned by Cultural Capital for the new WestConnex M5 motorway.

Emily was a finalist in the 2020 Archibald Prize with Self Portrait with Daddy in the Daisies watching the field of Planes. The portrait depicts her late father John Crockford who passed away in January. In 2019 Emily’s painting of artist Rosie Deacon, Funky Jungle Rosie In Her Pom Pom Zoo, was selected for the Salon des Refusés exhibition at S. H. Ervin Gallery, Sydney. She was selected again in 2021 with her portrait of politician Trent Zimmerman titled Trent Zimmerman watching the sun with all the clouds and the lorikeets are singing. In 2018 she was invited to exhibit in Cement Fondu’s inaugural exhibition Suburbia, and in 2017 she was curated by Daniel Mudie Cunningham into a group show at Artbank titled Good Neighbours.

Emily has been an artist-in-residence at Cicada Press, UNSW Art & Design and Koskela, and has collaborated with a number of established designers including Corban & Blair and One Another. Her works are held in various collections including Artbank and she has a long running collaboration with Sydney artist Rosie Deacon.

 

Emily Crockford’s 39 metre long mural for Westpac Concord was completed in October 2018.

Emily's artwork, Sydney Opera House at Night, was licensed by the City of Sydney to be displayed on construction hoardings around the city.

Emily Crockford, Funky Jungle Rosie in her Pom Pom Zoo, 2019, acrylic and posca on canvas, 122 x 152.5cm

An installation created by Emily and her collaborator, Rosie Deacon for Paired at Firstdraft, curated by Harriet Body.