Emma Burleigh

I am an artist, author and art teacher who is passionate about the vibrant, numinous and mercurial qualities of watercolour. I'm interested in everyday life and the inner life. I get excited about dreams, Carl Jung, Buddhism, eastern and Celtic spirituality, green and hopeful ideas, well-being, self-care, positive politics and the awesome beauty of the natural world.

I'm the author of two published books: Soul Color, a ten week course on watercolour painting to cultivate creativity and mindfulness, and Earth Color, an eight week art course for nature connection. Both are published by Liminal 11 in the UK and Sterling/Union Square & Co. in the USA & Canada. Right now I am working on my autobio-fictional long form comic memoir, My Other Mother, which is about meeting my first mother who relinquished me for adoption as a baby. It will be published by Liminal 11 in 2024.

I’m also an illustrator and have collaborated with former Derbyshire Poet Laureate River Wolton on two poetry books. The most recent, Year, was published by The Poetry Business and it was a treat to illustrate so many beautiful poems that celebrate nature. I also worked with award-winning writer Kim Moore to provide cover artwork and illustrations for her witty and poignant book What the Trumpet Taught Me, and I am now illustrating a forthcoming book by River Wolton on compassionate practices for burnt out activists which will be published by Windhorse.

Stories and myths often inform my personal work and I've studied traditional narrative based paintings such as Mughal miniatures and medieval Books of Hours for their inventive compositions, jewel like colours and quirky details. Much of my work is inspired by the beauty of nature, and some of my work has to do with letting the dark stuff out!

Qualifications, Clients and History

I'm based in Bristol, and in 2015 I completed an MA in 'Authorial Illustration' at Falmouth University, with Distinction. This launched me into my career as a self employed artist. I graduated with a first class BA Honours in Fine Art and English from Exeter University back in 1999, and between 1999 and 2015 I worked as a secondary school art teacher, community artist, gardener, environmental campaigner, youth worker and meditation centre co-ordinator.

I teach workshops in mindful, intuitive art-making, watercolour, and nature connection, and I’m a tutor at The Royal West Academy in Bristol.

You can see some of the clients I’ve recently worked with in the image above. Corporate clients include Ovo Energy, Pukka teas and Red Bull. Public bodies I’ve worked with include Bristol Museum and Art Gallery, the RWA, & The Universities of Worcester, Falmouth and Birmingham. I also work with various schools and community groups, and I’m a mentor and core team leader at LDComics (a.k.a. Laydeez Do Comics). Projects I’ve been a part of have been funded by Arts Council England, The Wellcome Trust, and the National Lottery.

 I offer original paintings to buy, as well as Fine Art prints. Recent exhibitions include the “Illustrating Mental Health” Symposium at Worcester University, the international Thought Bubble Comics Conference, and The Royal West Academy Open Exhibition in Bristol. My comics have been published in The Strumpet and Trawler and my artwork has featured in Resurgence and Ecologist Magazine, Aeva Magazine,  Amnesty International's Am-Unity magazine, Project Calm and Contemporary British Painting. 

I’m also developing an 'autobiofictional' graphic novel which won The Laydeez do Comics Women’s Prize for Unpublished Graphic Novels in Progress in 2018. It’s a labourious work of love which I’m aiming to complete by 2024. It’s about meeting my birth mother who relinquished me for adoption as a baby, and the dramatic impact of our reunion on my relationship with myself and others.

For me making art is a contemplative practice and so my particular interest in both my personal artistic practice and my teaching is the relationship between mindfulness, spirituality, and creativity. I began meditating in 2003 to help me manage my stress as a teacher in a busy secondary school and soon started attending silent retreats. From 2010 to 2012 I lived as a member of the Buddhist community at Gaia House in Devon and my meditation practice is still very much at the centre of my life. I like to sit with internationally respected Insight Meditation teacher, Yanai Postelnik, and I was a long term student of Gaia House Resident Teacher, Rob Burbea. In 2019 I completed a Foundation in Relational Mindfulness at the Karuna Institute with Maura Sills, (ratified by Middlesex University).

Reviews of My Comics Work

• Broken Frontier Graphic Novel

• Ink Magazine Graphic Novel

• Broken Frontier Adoption Comic

Teaching and Tutoring

I love to share my practice and my particular interest is to explore the question "How can art be used as a practice to support mindfulness, creativity and contemplation?"

 I hold regular courses and workshops in Bristol which explore meditative and reflective ways to make art. They are suitable for experienced artists and complete beginners alike. They tend to be in the mediums of either watercolour painting, art journaling, or comics & graphic narratives.

I have a PGCE in Art from Oxford Brookes University and twenty years experience teaching Art at GCSE, A level and Key Stage Three. For several years I was the Head of Art at Didcot Girls' School, as well as the Fine Art course Leader for A level at Didcot Sixth Forms in Oxfordshire. I offer A level and GCSE tutoring and have an up to date DBS certificate.

I enjoy helping people to develop their drawing and painting skills, and to find their voice. If you're scared to pick up a pencil or paintbrush but have always longed to, my special interest is in helping you to feel the fear and do it anyway!  

For more information on my current classes and to get a sense of bespoke workshops I could offer you, please click here or on the "Tuition" tab. 

For news of upcoming workshops and events, click here to join my mailing list.

Stay In Touch, Buy My Work

You can sometimes find my work for sale in local Bristol venues such as Phat Feathers or the Room 212 Gallery on Gloucester Road, while my comics and zines can be found at Gnash Comics in Ashburton, Devon, which is in my opinion the hands down best comics and graphic novels shop in the South West - if you go there say hello from me!

To buy my work just click on my "shop" tab for a full list of outlets, including online.

To subscribe to my mailing list click here.