BIOGRAPHY - Rosie Emerson

Rosie Emerson (b. 1981) is a UK artist celebrated for her innovative, alchemical approach to printmaking. Mixing gold leaf, bronze powders, and even tea, she creates ethereal works that blur the line between myth and reality, earning her international recognition. She has exhibited internationally, with pieces held in both private and public collections, and her unique approach to portraiture has earned her critical acclaim.

Her practice blends photography, printmaking, and painting, incorporating materials such as gold leaf, bronze powders, charcoal, flowers, seeds, salt, and tea. Influenced by museums, architecture, theatre, silhouettes, and shrines, she creates ethereal, atmospheric works using dramatic lighting, handmade costumes, and constructed sets. By experimenting with techniques like monoprint, photoetching, cyanotype, and screen printing, she moves beyond traditional printmaking, producing hand-finished, textured pieces that feel both timeless and contemporary.

Emerson’s work has been exhibited and collected internationally in galleries, art fairs, and museums. She holds the world record for the largest cyanotype photograph, measuring 46.8 square meters. She has received the Bridgeman Studio Award and was shortlisted for the Young Masters Art Prize.

She has created commissioned pieces for The Dorchester (London), The Waldorf Astoria (New York), and Raffles (Boston). Her work has also been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Another Magazine, Artist Newsletter, Creative Review, The Financial Times Magazine, and The Sunday Times Style Magazine.

Solo Exhibitions

2024: When Other Worlds Whisper, Smithson Gallery, Bristol
2018: Phantoms, Fairhurst Gallery, Norfolk
2015: Enigma’s, Turner Barnes Gallery, Essex; Aurora, The Ivy Club, London
2014: Ventique, Smithson Gallery, London; The Moon is No Door, Opus Gallery, Gloucestershire; Sirens, Hang Up Gallery, London
2012: Shrine, Roberta Moore, The Chelsea Club, London; Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge, London
2011: Alchemy, Art at Annoushka, London

Selected Group Exhibitions & Art Fairs

2024: London Original Print Fair, The Art Car Boot Fair, Smithson Gallery. Mavens, Decorazon Gallery New York
2023: Young Masters Art Prize (Shortlisted); Blisters, Print Club London; Art on a Postcard, Towner Gallery, Photography Open RWA
2022: Super Nature, Submerge, Carnival, Paxton Glew, Brighton ; London Original Print Fair; Young Masters, London Original Print Fair, Smithson Gallery
2021-2020: Great Print Exhibition (Rheged, Cumbria); Society of Women Artists, RWA Open, Bristol; Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair; Women by Women Liberty Gallery, Royal Over Sea’s League, London.
2019-2015: Visions and Voices, Decorazon Gallery, New York; RWA Open, Bristol, Choose Love, Somerset House; Art on a Postcard, Maddox Gallery, London; Art fairs in London, New York, Stockholm, Hong Kong ; Finalist Young Masters, Sphinx Fine Art, London
2014-2011: Women of the World Festival, The Southbank Centre, London; Surreal Women, and Anatomy both at COB Gallery, London at Somerset House, Macmillan De Longi Art Auction, Bonham’s; London Fashion Weekend, Somerset House.

Commissions, Awards & Residencies

2024: Vinyl album cover for Hearts Get Started by Ebony Buckle; Commissioned artworks for The Waldorf Astoria (New York) and Raffles (Boston)
2023-2022: Commissioned for Vesper Bar (The Dorchester); Vinyl cover for Disco Lasers by Ebony Buckle
2015: Bridgeman Studio Award; Finalist Young Masters Art Prize
2014: Artist-in-Residence, Somerset House; Hackney Wicked Arts Grant for the World’s Largest Cyanotype Photograph
2010-2019: Album covers for Arctic Wolf V Estate Agent, Fiona Bevan, and Riddler; Large-scale commissions for HMS Azura

Press & Publications

Featured in BBC London News, Vogue, Financial Times, The Sunday Times, Harper’s Bazaar, The Independent, Creative Review, Country and Townhouse Magazine and more.