Collection: Emily Ebbs

@emilyebbs
emilyebbs.com

Emily Ebbs is a Sydney based artist whose practice is centred around the processes of staining as an evocation of childhood trauma. Stains show a mark, a discolouration, unwanted and difficult to remove. The qualities of a stain reflect the metaphysical realities of trauma; trauma being the leftover emotional stain of experience, whether it be physical or emotional. She reflects on the relationship between trauma and stains in her practice through an impulsive process of staining canvas, fabrics, drop sheets, by mark-making, and tearing apart old works to collage them into new art. She accepts the risk that comes with this methodology as an effort to explore the unpredictability of the human psyche in the discipline of painting. Furthermore, the pastel colour palette coupled with the large scale of her work allow the finished piece to have an airy, residual feel. This subsequently promotes a meditative mood as a representation of a largely unrecognised element of trauma – the growth that can result from it.