Emma Radford is an artist based in rural Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, working primarily in oil, watercolour and charcoal.

She has always been drawn to drawing people. Raised between Aotearoa and England, much of her early creative life revolved around portraiture and observation - something that still sits at the centre of her work today.

Although she originally studied science and completed a Bachelor of Science, her path shifted after returning to the Bay of Plenty and becoming involved in conservation work. What began as temporary work outdoors slowly turned into years spent in forests, working alongside environmental groups and community projects focused on protecting native ecosystems and threatened species, including kōkako. She now works in conservation support roles and is a trustee of Rotoehu Ecological Trust.

That experience has shaped the way she sees both people and the natural world. Ideas of vulnerability, protection, grief, tenderness and survival run through much of her work.

Emma is developing a personal body of figurative work exploring emotional sensitivity, memory, femininity and the ways people carry what has happened to them. Her recent work moves beyond aesthetics alone, focusing instead on emotional atmosphere, symbolism and honest storytelling through portraiture and domestic space.

She also works collaboratively with environmental organisations, charities and community initiatives to create illustration, merchandise and visual storytelling that supports conservation and public engagement.