Emily Sutton
Emily Sutton is an artist and illustrator from the North Yorkshire countryside. Trained at the Edinburgh College of Art, she is celebrated for her intricate style and eye for compelling storytelling.
Her work, which spans painting, printmaking and textiles, has been featured at the V&A, in Bloomsbury books, and at Fortnum & Mason.
For Winter 25, Emily has brought our frozen forest landscape to life using watercolour, ink and cut paper. If you look closely, you can see the cut paper outline of the winter trees.
How would you describe your work?
My work is inspired by classic picture books, Victorian packaging, my collections of antique toys and ephemera, folk art and early animation (amongst other things!). These inform my use of colour, pattern and detail.
I exclusively use traditional media and love experimenting with materials to find exciting new mark-making techniques and interesting, rich textures.
First thoughts when Ffern approached you about responding to a fragrance?
The description of Winter 25 and the fresh notes of bergamot and lemon rind conjured up a crisp, frosty, icy scene.
I knew that I wanted to keep to a limited colour palette of blues and greys, but the warmer accents of saffron and rose sparked the idea of having some key details picked out in a vivid crimson. I really love how this sharp contrast highlights both the cold serenity of the landscape and the small skating figure.
How did you approach the painting?
As with all of my illustrations, the process of making this artwork began in my sketchbook. I made a few compositional drawings before narrowing it down to my favourite, then worked this up into a small, then larger detailed pencil rough.
The next stage was to do some colour studies and test out materials. The fairytale-like quality that was starting to emerge from my early concept sketches led me to delve into my books on folk art, in particular papercuts, so I tested out layering some snipped-out spiky plant forms and trees over painted and monoprinted backgrounds.
Once I’d finalised my decisions on colour and approach I set out on the full scale artwork. This took a while as I wanted to really embrace the quiet, deliberate making period - the paper cuts in particular are not something to be rushed! I hope that my enjoyment of the process is evident in the finished piece.
You frequently feature animals and characters from your collection of old toys - what attracted you to draw these?
My collections of toys and objects are a constant source of happiness, and regularly feature in my work. Their slightly battered, love-worn appearance and symbolism of innocence and fun are qualities that I aspire to when making images and picture books.
The wider themes of childhood and nostalgia have interested me right back to my art school days in Edinburgh, where I’d regularly spend hours with my sketchbook at the Museum of Childhood, drawing the old toys, dolls and displays.
Can you describe your favourite scent?
My favourite scents are all autumn and winter based: smoky bonfires and log fires, roasted chestnuts, pine trees, citrus fruits, mulling spices...
Where else do you find your inspiration?
Though I’m by nature a homebody, I do find a lot of ideas are sparked whilst on my travels. Just having time and head space to fully immerse myself in a new place and absorb all the visual details is magic for recharging my creative batteries. I take many, many photos as well as a sketchbook, and keep diaries to record particular memories or thoughts for future paintings.
I also love to scour local antique and junk shops to add to my collections and remind me of the places I’ve visited (it also really helps in re-accessing the feeling of being there).
Another essential for my art and just my mental wellbeing in general is going for long walks in nature. I have a beloved dog Mouse who is my constant companion, and no matter the weather or the circumstances we walk together every morning and afternoon for at least 30 minutes to an hour, longer if possible. Just the process of pacing and looking at the natural world through the seasons is brilliant for calming my mind and working through ideas.
What is the best advice you could pass on?
My advice to any aspiring artists and illustrators is to be determined and work hard, but with a healthy dose of self-compassion! Being in the creative industries is exciting and brilliant and I feel incredibly lucky that I get to do my absolute favourite thing as my job, but having your career and your identity so tightly intertwined comes with its own anxiety and pressure.
Stay true to your own interests and passions and try not to second guess what’s “marketable” - maintaining your authenticity always shines through in your work, and if you stick with it and continue to follow your interests and hone your craft, your visual language will evolve and strengthen organically.
Photography by Esme Mai