Small Talks: Emma Lopes

Emma Lopes is an illustrator and artist based in Lisbon who’s most known for her creative practice that incorporates environmental activism into art-making. Through her Plastic Prayer Flags Project, Emma now leads community-based workshops and educational programs with students of all ages on repurposing discarded litter to create beautiful works of art. Emma’s passion for wild flora and fauna has manifested into vibrant botanical illustrations, a series inspired by the documentary Our Planet, surface and pattern designs, mythical creatures, map designs, and more. In 2020, Emma contributed her illustrative skill to Sara Mendez’s children’s book, Boboto. You can keep up with Emma’s latest projects on her Instagram and support her work through her Etsy shop.

On June 25th, 10am EST, Emma will lead a workshop on “connecting to nature through painting” as part of our June workshop series.

I was hoping we could begin by talking about your contribution to the Sketchbook Project. What’s the process been like filling out your sketchbook? Where have you found inspiration to create your spreads?

It’s been really fun to work on the sketchbook, all contained in this neat little package! It has taken me about 20 years to work out that sketchbooks of this size are the way to go. They are easy to keep in your bag and whip out when you get the opportunity to sketch! I’ve carried it with a travel pack of watercolors and worked on it during my son’s nap times or when I get a blissful moment to myself.

I received my sketchbook just before the outbreak of COVID, which also coincided with our move to Lisbon, Portugal from London, UK. Two days after arriving in Lisbon, we were locked down with a toddler in a 2-bed apartment so time to indulge in sketching was limited. But it was also a really interesting time to start recording my experiences. Being in nature was the thing I was craving the most. I had brought 3 houseplants with me from London and I came to appreciate them greatly during this time. I began by painting them for the Sketchbook Project. Then I extended to our local green spaces and as the weather got warmer and as restrictions gradually lifted I explored more of the green and blue spaces of Lisbon. I believe strongly in the importance of biophilic design and nature spaces in urban areas, for our physical and mental health and for the health of the planet. Our pandemic experience has highlighted this more than ever. The theme really rose organically out of the situation and my sketchbook became a little ode to Lisbon’s wild spaces in the time of COVID but at the same time has been deeply personal reflection of peaceful moments during a very unusual year!

Do you always keep a sketchbook as part of your creative practice?

I always have done, I find they are a little diary-like. I spent many years travelling and always had one with me but they are usually very messy and a little random combining quick sketches, sustained studies, recipes, language vocabulary (depending on the country) collage, magazine cuttings, experiments for larger works and so on. When I revisit them they feel like little snippets of my life. My Sketchbook Project sketchbook has been a little more focused and planned.

Oftentimes, the most daunting part about starting a blank sketchbook is the first page, or finding the time to sit down and work on each page. How do you overcome that creative block? Do you prefer to sketch on the go or do you have a studio you use?

I usually just dive in, since I like to approach a sketchbook as if nobody else will ever see it (even if they will!). I do tend to jump around a bit as I fill them depending on if I’m using wet materials and need some drying time. I love to sketch on the go but there are many occasions where I have to take a few photos and finish at home or in multiple sittings if it is somewhere I can return to!

You create such vibrant images of botanical motifs and ecological scenes of flora and fauna. Have you always been fascinated by the natural world or did you gravitate towards these themes and imagery as your creative practice developed? 

Thank you! These are themes I have always been fascinated by and have always been drawn to. I grew up in a rural area with lots of freedom as a child to roam over fields and forest so perhaps this is why. But, after graduating with a fine art degree in London in the early 2000s, I was actually a little wary of subject matter that was too ‘pretty’ and felt a pressure to be more edgy in my work. I felt, perhaps mistakenly, that plants and animals were a little frowned upon as being twee or not serious enough in the fine art world at the time. I started painting industrial landscapes such as oil rigs, tin mines, and disused power stations as a commentary on how mankind changes, extracts and manipulates our environment. I feel my message and what I want to communicate has not changed so greatly, but as I have become older and more self-assured I have allowed myself to embrace a celebration of nature rather than a criticism of humankind. There is a place for both, but right now I feel like approaching these issues from a place of joy, reflecting on the wonders we must protect and on what we collectively have the potential to achieve.

Your Plastic Prayer Flags Project and your plastic waste workshops are a great engagement with materials we are quick to discard and don’t always pay attention to in the polluted landscapes around us. How did this project come about? How has your relationship to plastics and litter changed as this project evolved into more community-based collaboration and education?

I’ve been doing my best to avoid single-use plastics for over a decade but during this time I have learned more and more about the enormous issue of ubiquitous plastic and I wanted to share some of what I had learned through art education and workshops. This project really began in 2011 as I had been in Ladakh, India where prayer flags adorn many of the buildings and trees. When I returned to the UK, I caught sight of flashes of color in winter trees, which triggered memories of these prayer flags. Except that these were plastic bags from supermarkets caught in trees, almost an antithesis of the prayer flags. I began collecting plastic bags (along with other plastic waste from the streets and beaches) to use in workshops both in the school where I was teaching art and in community workshops. Running these projects actually helped me understand the power of working together as a community rather than all the emphasis being on individuals living perfectly plastic-free. I used to put a huge amount of pressure on myself and it probably wasn’t a very effective use of my energy!

People in the art world can be critical at times of overtly political art, or place greater emphasis on neutrality when it comes to sharing and exhibiting work with the public. Your artwork is a great challenge to those norms. How do you view your art-making in relation to your environmental activism?

For me, it is about communicating my deepest truth and biggest joy, but also using whatever voice I have to contribute to making the world a better place. Art has always played a huge role in social change. The idea that art can be a force for good and a form of communication excites me far more than the idea of it simply being a commodity, I’m not comfortable with simply bringing more stuff into the world. Human beings feel good when we are in nature, it is still very much part of our evolutionary makeup, and for the good reason that we absolutely rely on nature being healthy and abundant in order to live. The first step in us living more in harmony with nature is the realization that all life is interconnected. Fundamentally, we need environmental and social justice in order to survive and thrive. My intention is to celebrate this human-nature connection in my art.

You recently illustrated Sara Mendez’s children’s book, Boboto. What was it like working on a book in collaboration with an author and publisher in comparison to standalone works or series for your portfolio? Do you hope to work on more projects like this in the future?

Both the author and the publisher gave me lots of freedom and I was inspired by Sara’s story from the moment I read it. The message very much resonated and the story of the mountain gorillas and the rangers of Virunga is an important one to tell. It was the longest and most intense project I have done to date. I loved becoming totally absorbed in the world of Boboto and the misty mountains of Virunga. For me, it is really important that as far as possible the plants and animals reflect the true biodiversity of the place, so I spent hours watching documentaries and researching the flora and fauna of Democratic Republic of Congo. It was also a project interrupted by 8 months of head injury from a cycling accident followed by a further long break when my son was born. I felt I had changed so much as a person and an artist that I almost wanted to rework everything, so it was a challenge to reintegrate with everything but really satisfying to bring it all together. I also think I subconsciously made Boboto (a young gorilla) look a lot like my son! I am actually hoping one of my next big projects will be an environmentally-themed book, so hopefully I can reveal more soon!

What was your journey to becoming the artist you are today? Have you always been drawn to painting and illustration from a young age?

I have loved painting, drawing and making ever since I can remember. Growing up, I also wanted to be a naturalist or marine biologist so choosing between science and art was a tough decision. Now I feel very fortunate that I’m able to feed those other passions into my artwork.

Are there any art supplies or materials you can’t live without?

Lovely absorbent, smooth watercolor paper like Fabriano, a small dish of watercolors, white gouache, and a few decent brushes!

What’s the greatest piece of art-making advice you’ve ever received?

Play, explore, and experiment and enjoy the process without worrying too much about the outcome.

Who are some creatives inspiring you today?

I love the work and mission of Olafur Eliasson, Michelle Morin’s paintings I think are utterly gorgeous, and I’ve been a huge fan of Chris Ofili since my school days. Jaider Esbell’s intricate and almost meditative pattern work is embedded in a deep connection with nature. Vanessa Barragao’s textile work and use of color and Courtney Mattison’s detailed and expansive coral sculptures. I’m also inspired by many wildlife photographers such as Srikanth Mannepuri and Cristina Mittermeier.

How can people support your work? 

I always post what I am doing on my Instagram so it’s a great place to see current work, show appreciation, and keep up to date with projects or workshops! You can take a more in-depth look at my website or on my Etsy shop. I have some lovely prints all of which are supporting excellent charities from sales. Spread the word or get in touch if you have a project you’d like to collaborate with me on. I’m available for commissions and licensing, particularly those aligned with social and environmental justice!