Emilie Taylor

Socially Engaged Practice

Beyond the studio Emilie is passionate about representing people’s ideas and experiences of the places they inhabit authentically. Working with the voice that already exists within specific communities it is hoped that creativity fosters empowerment and cohesion resulting in work that develops communication skills, challenges participants and the wider community and is work people are proud to have made- a truly creative experience.

Emilie is an Art Psychotherapist and has 10 years specialist experience working with people who use drugs and alcohol and homeless people. Emilie has spoken about her work at national recovery conferences and the International Conference of Therapeutic Communities in 2011.

Emilie has taught school groups, further education college students and, as a visiting lecturer, has worked with Sheffield Hallam University and University of Sheffield

Emilie was invited by Curator Andrea Hawkins to work at Guidepost Working Mens Club, Northumberland. Working with the over-60's Bingo club time was spent sharing personal stories that underpin the history of the club. These stories became images that decorate celebratory hand-made drinking vessels, and bone china cups to be used by the club. The work was shown as part of 'The Share' exhibition at Woodhorn Mining Museum. With thanks to BAIT Northumberland for funding. THE SHARE

Emilie was invited by Curator Andrea Hawkins to work at Guidepost Working Mens Club, Northumberland. Working with the over-60's Bingo club time was sp… read more

Emilie collaborated with Dr Casey Strine, Ancient Historian and Vice Chancellors Research Fellow at University of Sheffield, In open workshops people seeking asylum, or with refugee status, met, and made artwork in response to stories read together. The stories about Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob taken from the book of Genesis, (an ancient text that is the first book in the Bible and sacred to Jews, Christians, and Muslims) are stories written by people who experienced forced migration in the ancient world. In this current time of conflict and political unrest, this group of people who experienced involuntary migration responded to these texts by making monoprints and ceramic vessels. In an exhibition of their quiet and contemplative work during Refugee Week 2015, we were offered the opportunity to consider our own views on migration and the turbulence that surrounds us. With thanks to University of Sheffield, Arts Enterprise and Yorkshire Artspace for funding. BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM

Emilie collaborated with Dr Casey Strine, Ancient Historian and Vice Chancellors Research Fellow at University of Sheffield, In open workshops people … read more

Brown & White are the street slang terms used to describe heroin and crack cocaine. Emilie worked with twenty residents from Phoenix Futures Residential Service to create large scale ceramic art works that depicted their individual experiences of drug use, dependency and recovery. Using chocolate brown clay and white slip the resulting twenty ceramic chargers were decorated with their own individual combination of intricate pattern and scraffito drawing. The pattern gave the work a domestic context, referencing the chintz of British home furnishings; the drawings offered a complex and holistic insight into the issues people face when using drugs or alcohol, as well as illustrating some of the most poignant moments of change. A juxtaposition of the comfortable and the challenging. Exhibited at Sheffield’s Millennium Galleries, Brown & White developed people's understanding of drug and alcohol use beyond media stereotypes. BROWN AND WHITE

Brown & White are the street slang terms used to describe heroin and crack cocaine. Emilie worked with twenty residents from Phoenix Futures Residenti… read more

Emilie was commissioned by Yorkshire Artspace and Green Estates, Sheffield, to develop a project with young men aged 16-19, resident on the Manor Estate in Sheffield. The project used play and drawing to explore ideas of masculinity, both in the historical context of the Manor Castle and Manor Lodge site, and in their contemporary experience as young men on the Manor. Large wall mounted ceramic pieces were made for display outdoors in the spaces where the men worked. The imagery chosen by the men is a combination of historical references, contemporary identity, work and play. MANOR BORN

Emilie was commissioned by Yorkshire Artspace and Green Estates, Sheffield, to develop a project with young men aged 16-19, resident on the Manor Esta… read more

Emilie was invited to work with the Drawing Shed, London in Summer 2012 as part of their 'Festival Here' on a housing estate in Waltham Forest. Emilie used the mobile shed as a framework for exploring the relevance of Renaissance imagery to the young peoples relationships with each other, their friends and their families. DRAWING SHED

Emilie was invited to work with the Drawing Shed, London in Summer 2012 as part of their 'Festival Here' on a housing estate in Waltham Forest. Emilie… read more