Emma Bevan-Henderson

About the artist

Emma Bevan-Henderson is a textile artist and clay sculptor, based in the Brecon Beacons/Bannau Brycheiniog.
Working with clay and textiles allows Emma to explore textures and layers, influenced by cycles, seasons and nature, as well as the Welsh mountains and their ancient stories.

The basis of Emma’s creative practice is connection. This is realised through enablement (coordinating and facilitating community projects) and engagement with materials, both to express her personal narrative and those of the collaborations she curates.

When Emma is not busy creating pieces for exhibitions, projects and commissions, she loves to teach, and runs regular workshops throughout the year across Wales and parts of the UK.
You can visit the Workshops page, or scroll down, to see current workshops and to find out more about these.
You can also arrange your own bespoke workshop dates, for special occasions or just an excuse to meet up with friends… below the workshops decriptions you can read testimonials from previous participants.

Creativity has ebbed and flowed throughout Emma’s life, where previously circumstances had sometimes
distanced it from her, she re-engaged with her creative practice following a life-threatening cancer diagnosis, first encountered in 2011, and another in 2023.

Emma’s work explores the myriad of healing modalities of cloth and clay; each addresses, from different perspectives, the social, political, joyful, and restorative aspects of expressing our narratives and finding resilience, fulfillment, and happiness through creative practice.

Creative Practice

The experiences during Emma’s Master’s in Contemporary Craft have had a tremendously positive impact upon her creative practice; more focused approach, conceptualised processes and observational planning.
Emma is working with clay to produce series of works which examine relationships with the environment, emotions, and memories, expressed in organic and abstract ways.
Emma’s textile-based contemporary art projects use collective making to explore voice, community, and feminist modes of collectivity, whether to amplify her own narrative, or to work with groups who wish to amplify theirs.
The MA has helped Emma develop her critical thinking, refine her processes, and work towards defining her creative journey, as well as deepening her joy.
Emma hopes that others will join her in celebrating the joyous and commemorating the difficult, and firmly beleives in the magic that can happen when groups of women create together.