The Here Thereafter

Emma Bradshaw was originally from a farm near the hamlet of Darwell, AB. She moved around quite a bit growing up, living in Kamloops, BC; Red Deer, AB; Innisfail, AB; and Sylvan Lake, AB. Emma is now based in Vancouver and works as an artist and instructor teaching ceramics and pottery to her local community with a passion for working with kids.

Inspirations behind her work include the flora and fauna of Western Canada, her Irish and Dutch heritage, and her connections to theatre. Both of Emma’s parents were theatre instructors, actors, and directors with a love for Shakespeare. This connection is what gives her work its unique gothic, ornate, and maximalist aesthetic, along with its distinct theatrical presentation.

Emma’s work explores themes of generational trauma, class, identity, femininity, disability, and the journey for peace and healing through reconnection to our pasts, our ancestors, our cultures, and ourselves.

Through implementing decoration, pattern, and adornment as tools for narrative building and storytelling, she aims to let her audience explore difficult topics in a tender and beautiful way. She invites the viewer to get lost in the details, finding a part of themselves in the world she’s made.