Emily Kirkby - June 2025
Emily Kirkby is a UK-based painter whose work centres on landscape, light, and atmosphere. Working primarily in paint, her practice often draws from direct observation, translating environments into colour, gesture, and form. She was in residence at House of Hulda in June 2025.
Kirkby’s work is grounded in looking - spending time with a place and allowing it to unfold through painting. Rather than documenting landscape directly, her approach leans toward interpretation, where memory and perception shape the final image.
During her two-week stay at House of Hulda, she divided her time between painting and exploring the surrounding area. The combination of sustained studio time and immersion in the landscape created a strong sense of momentum in her work. “Having spent a fortnight taking in the surrounding area and painting at the house, I felt full of ideas and inspiration.”
The residency offered both subject and space, allowing her to work consistently while absorbing a landscape that was entirely new to her. “This is a part of the world I may otherwise never have experienced, it felt so unique.”
“I know my time there will be informing my work for years to come.”
Since her stay, Kirkby continues to develop her painting practice, with the experience at House of Hulda becoming an ongoing reference point within her work.
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