Emma Hopton

Introduction

‘Thinking by Jumping’ a phrase coined by Peter Mayle in his foreward to Pentagram’s book ‘Ideas on Design’ is something that Emma continually explores in her work. The engagement of the reader / viewer to make the synaptic leap between elements in the works she makes in order to generate the final outcome is essential to her work, ‘thought participation’ being a term that she developed to describe this necessary collaboration.

Re-current subjects in Emma’s work

A large proportion of the work Emma has produced recently is to do with the English Language, especially the rich diversity of idiomatic language. Individual pieces seem abrupt
in their completeness. They make more than a nod to advertising: taking you down
pre-conceived avenues of thought; dealing with the same wordplay, punning and language puzzles commonly found on billboards; teasing you with the notion of the metaphysical. Yet these works are not trying to sell you anything but to make a statement and exist as a playful dialogue with onlookers, an interruption of your on-going train of thought. The possibility of communication could be the sub-text ‘think harder’, ‘think differently’ or simply ‘think’. It’s purpose being exercise for the conceptual muscles.

 

Current Research

A recent body of work uses idiomatic language with edible references and was exhibited as part of the Impact Print Conference, Bristol. As a bookbinder as well as a graphic designer Emma is also working on a sketchbook experiment entitled ‘Thought Generators’ and has amassed a large amount of ephemera from the streets of Bristol for collage work entitled ‘Litterbugs’.

Background

After an enjoyable year on the Foundation Diploma in Art and Design at the University of the West of England, Bristol, Emma left home for sunny Newcastle and completed a BA[Hons] in Graphic Design at Northumbria University. Returning to Bristol after graduation to work for three different design agencies [not all at the same time] before moving into education and becoming a lecturer at Somerset College on the degree pathways. Since then Emma has gained both her Certificate in Education from University of Plymouth and an MA Research [Visual Communication] from UWE.

 

Based in Bristol Emma continues to teach at Somerset College and is an associate lecturer at the University of Plymouth, she undertakes both personal and freelance work and is a committee member for the West of England Design Forum.

'Swan Song' film still