Award-winning British artist Sarah Emily Porter works from her East London studio where she explores colour and the historical context of painting.

By pouring and manipulating paint on tilting structures, she creates a dialogue between art and science as the paint ebbs and flows in a single linear stroke under the force of gravity. Through this method of painting, she removes the artist from the gesture and emotion of painting, highlighting instead the complexity of colour and the intricacies of her materials. She has also created a series of installations and sculptures that explore colour, composition and form.

  • EDUCATION

    Chelsea College of Arts, UAL | Distinction, Graduate Diploma in Fine Art | September 2015 – June 2016

    The Slade School of Art, UCL | Summer Foundation in Fine Art | July – September 2014

    Durham University, University College | 2:1 BA Hons, History (specialising in architectural history) | Sept 2005 - July 2008

    AWARDS AND RESIDENCIES

    Rising Stars Award | 2021 | Winner

    Bankside Hotel X Contemporary Collective Artist Residency | London | 2020

    NLCS Jeju Arts Festival Artist in Residence | Jeju Island, South Korea | June 2019

    London Festival of Architecture City Benches Competition | 2019 | Winner

    Richard Seager Annual Arts Award | 2019 | Winner

    Signature Art Prize | 2018 | Shortlisted

    Broomhill National Sculpture Prize | 2018 | Winner - Judge’s Prize

    The Griffin Gallery Project Residency | London | May 2018

    The Jackson’s Open Painting Prize | 2018 | Shortlisted

    The Annex Collection Acquisition Award | 2016 | Shortlisted

    SOLO EXHIBITIONS

    Rotate curated by Natasja Jozsa | Court-X, Southsea | 17 July - 11 September 2023

    A Painting of Two Halves | 22 Bury Street, London | 16-30 July 2021

    One Hundred and Eighty Nine to Forty Five | Haru Gallery, London | 21 February - 5 July 2019

    GROUP EXHIBITIONS

    Collect International Craft and Design Fair | Somerset House, London | 28 February - 3 March 2023

    Winter Exhibition | Byard Art Gallery, Cambridge | November - December 2023

    Art of Belonging curated by Contemporary Collective| Bankside Hotel, London | October 2023 - Spring 2024

    The Other Art Fair | Truman Brewery, London | 12 October - 15 October 2023

    The Other Art Fair | West Handyside Canopy, London | 29 June - 2 July 2023

    UnMute curated by Stephanie Crosland-Goss | Somerset House, London | June 2023

    Future Icons Selects X London Craft Week 2023 | Bargehouse, London | 10 - 14 May 2023

    Unity | Bluecoat Display Centre for Contemporary Craft, Liverpool | 14 April - 3 June 2023

    New Makers Showcase | Contemporary Applied Arts Gallery, London | November 2022

    The Other Art Fair | Truman Brewery, London | October 2022

    Row, Row, Row | Račice, Czech republic | 18 - 25 September 2022

    Paris Design Week | Maison et Objet, Paris | 7 - 13 September 2022

    New Designers | Business Design Centre, London | 28 July - 8 July 2022

    London Craft Week | The Gallery, Craft Council X Liberty, London | May - August 2022

    Rising Stars One Year On | New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham | 24 March - 24 April 2022

    Rebirth | 99 Projects, London | 4 - 27 March 2022

    The Other Art Fair | Truman Brewery, London | March 2022

    Curious? | Images in Frames, London | November - December 2021

    Artwaves Festival | Artelium Vineyard, Sussex | September 2021

    SFSA Painting Open | No Format Gallery, London | September 2021

    The Other Art Fair | West Handyside Canopy, London | July 2021

    Rising Stars 2021 | New Ashgate Gallery, Farnham | April 2021

    Life on Venus - The Organic | The Auction Collective, London | February 2021

    Life on Venus | Tub Gallery, London | December 2020 - February 2021

    The London Design Festival | Unit 2, London | September 2020

    The Other Art Fair | Victoria House, London | 2 - 5 October 2019

    LFA City Showcase | The City Centre, London | 20 May 2019 - 27 July 2019

    The Other Art Fair | Truman Brewery London | 22 - 24 March 2019

    The National Sculpture Prize | Broomhill Sculpture Gardens, North Devon | 20 May 2018 - May 2019

    Summer Show | Walthamstow Village Window Gallery | 20 July - 16 September 2018

    New Artist Fair 2018 | Truman Brewery, London | 14 - 16 September 2018

    Artrooms Roma | Church Palace Hotel, Rome | 2 - 4 March 2018

    The Other Art Fair | Victoria House, London | 22 - 24 March 2018

    Three100 | No Format Gallery, Deptford | 22 March – 30 April 2017
    Chance & happenstance | room. South London | 4-9 April 2017

    CHROMA: Green Issue | Art Hub Gallery, Deptford | 11-13 November 2016

    FLOCK 2016 | GX Gallery, London | 2 August - 3 September 2016 (Painting performances 13, 20 and 27 August)

    TALKS

    The Future of Craft | Liberty’s, London | 26 May 2022

    London Festival of Architecture Pecha Kucha | The City Centre, London | 26 July 2019

    Chromophobia | Art Hub Gallery, Deptford | 13 November 2016

    PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS

    Financial Times - Frieze Week Highlights Sudoku no. 4 | 2 October 2022
    Fad Magazine - The Other Art Fair Top 10 | March 2022
    Livingetc UK, - The Faces of the Future, pg. 56 | October 2021
    FAD Magazine - The Upcoming: Sarah Emily Porter | 6 July 2021
    We Are Makers - Porter + Trundle, Edition 2, pg. 128 - 131 | April 2021
    Elle Decoration NL - Welcome to the House of Fun, Issue 2, pg. 52-53 | March 2021
    Black Label 3 - The power of craftsmanship: from passion to mastery Pg. 218-220 | 2020
    London Evening Standard - Where to find handmade homeware | 30 July 2020
    Home and Design Trends Magazine India, Vol. 7, Issue 3 - Transformative public art that alters perceptions and neighbourhoods | Autumn 2019
    Londonist - Tube ponderings by Barry Heck, | 14 August 2019
    The E List - Sarah Emily Porter speaks to Paul Lindt about her career to date | July/August 2019
    Deezen - City Benches by young designers brighten London's Cheapside | 13 June 2019
    Wallpaper* - Eccentric benches sit pretty during London Festival of Architecture | 4 June 2019
    Timeout London - Canary Wharf Pianos | 25 March 2019
    Architects Journal - Five design teams chosen in city benches contest | 25 March 2019
    London Festival of Architecture - LFA and Cheapside Business Alliance announce winners of second edition of ‘City Benches’ design competition | 22 March 2019

    PROJECT FUNDING, SCHOLARSHIPS AND GRANTS

    The Arts Council Developing Your Creative practice, Grant Funding, 2020
    Craft Council Hothouse 2020
    Kumpabana, Project Funding, 2016
    Student/Staff Collaboration Fund, Project Funding, 2015
    The South Square Trust, Scholarship, 2015
    The Eaton Fund, Grant, 2015

  • E. studio@sarahemilyporter.com

    T. +44 (0)7746 707692

    Studio 7, Narrow Yard Studios
    20 Wilmot Road
    Leyton, London
    E10 5LU

IN THE STUDIO