Self Portrait in Watercolour
Emily Hill
Self Portrait in Watercolour [detail] 2026
Self-portrait
Watercolour on paper
48 x 35 cm
About the Artwork
My self-portrait was painted in the traditional way: an easel set up with a mirror positioned alongside it. I wanted to challenge myself and completely remove the need of a photograph. I chose to do a self-portrait to allow me the freedom to study myself closely without pressure. Working directly from life in watercolour is challenging, as it can be an unforgiving medium—too many changes can ruin a painting. To keep the freshness of the brush marks and to avoid overworking the image, I completed the portrait in a day.
About the Artist
Emily Hill was born in Adelaide, but moved to Townsville in 2005. Specialising in ceramics and printmaking, she has been a finalist in many awards for several years running (including the Percival Portrait Painting Prize and the Townsville Art Society Awards), and has received awards for lithographs, linocuts and watercolours. She has held several solo exhibitions in Townsville and in Papua New Guinea.