Born in 1962 Paraparaumu, New Zealand, Emily Little emigrated with her family to England where she grew up in various parts of the U.K. Settling to study in Edinburgh, she graduated with a degree from the prestigious Drawing & Painting School of Edinburgh College of Art. She later moved to Italy after experiencing Rome during a field trip at college. She now lives and works in Rome for most of the year.

She began painting in oils, acrylics and watercolours, sketching the Pennine landscapes of her teenage years – and her ‘absorption’ into the surrounding environment to influence her work continued whilst in Rome, furthering the refinement of colour and materials. A period at the Italian Mint also introduced her to the bas-relief technique – which is half-way between a 2 dimensional drawing, and a 3-dimensional sculptural surface – which has undoubtedly influenced her ideas of space, form and volume.

Working now predominantly in watercolours, she also frequently uses fine hand-made paper (specially sourced and brought from Asia, Far East and India) in her paintings. This adoption of collage within the painting provides a perfect vehicle to reflect and detract light, adding further depth and texture.