Emily Crockford

'Bold', 'assured' and 'sensual' are all words that describe the work of Emily Crockford. No matter what she turns her eye to – the natural environment, Australiana or people within her orbit – she transforms it 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 has a long exhibition history and is well known for her prominent public art commissions: A Possum is Watching, commissioned by Sydney Metro and X Squared Design for Hurlstone Park Station; Oysters Eating Rainbows (2020), an 81.5 metre mural commissioned by Cultural Capital for the new WestConnex M5 motorway; two works for the City of Sydney’s Creative Hoardings Project and Love owls and mermaids singing in the rainbow pop, a 300 square metre mural, created in collaboration with six other Studio A artists, for the Art Gallery of New South Wales (2020). 

Emily is also a three-time Archibald finalist, first selected for Self Portrait with Daddy in the daisies watching the field of Planes (2020), which depicted her late father, John Crockford, who passed away that year. She followed this with The Pattern in the Mountains of Studio A, Best Friends Emma and Gabrielle (2022) and Jeff’s pink daisy eyelash clash (2023), of fellow artist Jeff McCann. Emily has also twice exhibited in the Salon des Refusés – the ‘alternate Archibald’ at S. H. Ervin Gallery – first with a portrait of artist Rosie Deacon, Funky Jungle Rosie In Her Pom Pom Zoo (2019) and then Trent Zimmerman watching the sun with all the clouds and the lorikeets are singing (2021) of former Federal Member for North Sydney, Trent Zimmerman. 

Emily has exhibited widely at Bondi Pavilion, Cement Fondu, Hazelhurst Regional Gallery, Australian National Maritime Museum, Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Contemporary and Artbank. Her works are held in various collections, including the University of Technology Sydney, the University of New South Wales (curated by Elena Taylor) and Artbank. She also has a long running collaboration with artist Rosie Deacon.

- Portrait by Scott Heldorf