Rooted in the textures, colours, and quiet rhythms of the Australian landscape, Emily Eldridge’s art captures the soulful connection between people and the land.
Raised among paddocks and fig trees, her paintings are rich in memory and emotion - grounded in a lifelong fascination with nature and light.
In this feature, we chat to Emily about what inspires her vibrant world of art, her creative process, and the Jacksons products she loves working with most.
Inspiration & Creative Influence
Emily’s work draws deeply from her rural upbringing, where her earliest creative spark came from observing the light on a paddock and tracing the textures of Morton Bay fig trees she used to climb. Now based in Margaret River, surrounded by the marri trees of the Wooditjup Forest, she continues to find endless inspiration in the natural world around her.
“These trees throughout the season and the landscape around them continue to inspire my work.”
Her creative influences stem from Australia’s Impressionist masters. Growing up in a home surrounded by works from Pro Hart and Doug Sealy, she developed a lifelong appreciation for how artists captured the spirit of the land.
“When I later arrived in Perth as a teen, I remember sitting in front of Frederick McCubbin’s painting at the Art Gallery of Western Australia, literally overwhelmed with tears. There was something special about how the Australian Impressionists conveyed the beauty of the land and how people connected to it"
Meaning & Message
Through her art, Emily hopes to awaken viewers’ own memories of nature - the trees, the air, the sense of peace found in connection to the land.
“My work aims to reach people’s own memories of their connection with trees in their life; sparking their own lost moments of the power of the land and awareness of its beauty and resilience.”
Current Work & Evolution
At present, Emily is exploring larger canvases, amplifying the energy and presence of her signature marri trees on an almost life-sized scale.
“My palette is influenced by my strong visual memory, but I’d like to focus that in on representing the marri trees within seasons of their lives and how they act as a metaphor for the seasons in our own lives.”
Studio Essentials
A loyal Jacksons artist, Emily swears by Matisse Structured Paints, which suit her textural approach perfectly.
“Because of the textural nature of my work, I enjoy working straight out of the pots; often using palette knives to alter pigment on the canvas rather than premixing.”
She also credits the Jacksons team for their invaluable support.
“The staff at Jacksons are artists in their own right. They understand that we are all exploring process and do their absolute best to listen and suggest suitable materials with their vast knowledge of product and process.”
A few Fun Extras:
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If her art were a movie character: Rose from Titanic - born from a place of privilege but wild and untamed, breaking all the rules.
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A colour she’d ban forever: Cadmium red - too aggressive pigment for her visually sensitive brain.
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Best advice for emerging artists: Paint every day, not because you’re wanting to finish or sell but because you want to create. When you shift your mindset to honour the true creative process, people feel a genuine connection to your work.
