Emma Hunt - Visual Art

Emma is landscape artist and teacher from Egremont who uses art for pain management and wellbeing - and teaches others to do so too. Emma has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which is a connective tissue disorder.

As she told the BBC: "I'm inspired by landscapes and the Lakes. When I came off medication I felt alive and saw beauty and colour. I'm not very mobile so I can't visit these beauty spots, so I contact photographers and ask them if I can paint their photos and the response has been humbling."

Emma believes strongly that art therapy can help those suffering from pain, mental health conditions or drug and alcohol addictions. She has been featured on BBC News and ITV Border, in Whitehaven News, and on BBC Radio Cumbria. Here she is on ITV Border:

“Art takes you away from pain or worry. It helps ease depression and just for one hour a week, my students are able to escape the heaviness of what we are all dealing with. I can't volunteer or do anything practical, it's just my way of giving something back. Mental health cannot be overlooked." (BBC)

Emma is currently concentrating on painting local landscapes and seascapes as well as leading free ‘live’ workshops via Facebook exploring pastel techniques. These 60-minutes sessions take place on Sundays HERE and you can find some examples below.