Biography

Kirkcaldy-born Emma Pratt graduated with a first-class honours degree in Fine Art from Duncan of Jordanstone College, Dundee. While at college, Emma received the RSA Sculpture Prize, the Carnegie Travelling Scholarship and, for her degree show, the Farquhar Reid Art Trust Prize. She was seen as a student who combined original talent with ambition to succeed and stood out as one of the best graduates in recent years.

Emma’s works are considered original, ambitious, surprising, provocative and witty with a very unusual approach to materials, form and imagery. Since graduating, Emma has demonstrated that she has not reached the limits of her abilities. She has exhibited work in Scotland, Italy and France.

Shortly after graduation, Emma won a travelling scholarship which allowed her to spend significant time in Florence, and later went on to an artist’s residency in France. Her work is featured in collections at the University of Dundee, the Royal Scottish Academy and in private collections in Ireland and Italy.

In 2007 Emma was an invigilator at the Scottish show “Scotland and Venice” at the prestigious Venice Biennale. She is currently illustrating a book by an Irish writer and working towards an exhibition in Prato, Italy.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award will help Emma complete a Master of Fine Art (Sculpture) at Edinburgh College of Art.

Since the Award

Emma writes that after graduating she spent three years exhibiting work and doing various art-related projects. “Having two years to concentrate solely on my practice in a supportive environment was exactly what my career needed. Receiving a Dewar Arts Award has enabled me to do this.”

During the MFA course, Emma showed her work in Florence, Berlin and London. She was awarded the Helen Rose Bequest for one of the best MFA 2009 degree shows at ECA. For more information on Emma’s current exhibitions and artworks see www.emmapratt.co.uk.

Emma’s work was showcased as part of our Tenth Anniversary Celebrations. Find out more here.