Emily Ponsonby is primarily known for working with beeswax, a technique which builds upon the Ancient Egyptians’ Encaustic process – buffing, binding and scraping pigment into layers of wax. The rawness and malleability of her materials are in harmony with the bodies she depicts amongst the everchanging topography and gnarly shores of the Southwest.
Emily Ponsonby (b.1990) is a British painter and printmaker celebrated for her evocative depictions of the human form. Residing in the Cotswolds, her work delves into the essence of nudity, nature, and our intrinsic connection to the earth.
Ponsonby's distinctive technique draws inspiration from the Ancient Egyptian encaustic process, involving the application of beeswax mixed with pigments. This method allows her to build textured layers, buffing and scraping the surface until her subjects emerge organically. The rawness and malleability of beeswax harmonise with the bodies she portrays, set against the ever-changing landscapes of the Southwest.
Ponsonby received training at the City and Guilds of London Art School, Leith School of Art in Edinburgh, and The Royal Drawing School in London. Ponsonby has exhibited extensively across the UK and South Africa, with notable solo exhibitions such as "Kettle of Fish" at J/M Gallery, London, in 2024, and "Bare" at Noho Studios, London, in 2019. Her work has also been featured in group shows at the National Portrait Gallery and Woolwich Contemporary Print Fair.
