Emma Staggs

Artist Statement

There are moments in my life when I think, “this is all I need.” They emerge from the simplest moments: a deep breath of fresh air, the ache of laughing too hard, a pair of pants that fit just right. Though seemingly insignificant, I’ve come to find the most joy in them. While many wait for one spectacular achievement to define their lives, I believe such anticipation is misguided. The everyday is all we have.

To live attentively, to pause and to notice, is an act I find of the upmost importance. I find it easiest to witness life’s quiet miracles in nature, where small details reveal profound emotional resonance.
I am especially inspired by trees: the shadow patterns of leaves, the intertwining of branches. My work is rooted in these natural and universal patterns. I abstract the organic motifs creating sculptures that feel familiar and approachable. The work acts as a personal vocabulary, articulating my intimate connection and emotional reaction to all that is around me. Their compositions rely heavily on negative space acting as windows or frames. These openings hold whatever the viewer sees through them, briefly allowing a moment to be visually contained by the form, inviting one to contemplate their own relationship with perception, presence, and place.

This reverence for life informs my practice. Each piece is constructed entirely by hand; they are coiled, pinched, and shaped through slow, deliberate gestures. The surfaces are either obsessively smoothed or marked with rhythmic, intentional indentations. These tactile processes echo the meditative act of noticing: repetitive, quiet, and attentive, revealing meaning through touch and time.

Through this work, I explore how sculpture can create a third space where slowing down feels possible and curiosity returns. Where a viewer can step into a moment of awareness and feel connected, if only briefly, to themselves and the world around them.