We are delighted to welcome contemporary painter Emma Velde-Schaffer to our gallery roster. Velde-Schaffer’s work explores the subtle relationships between abstraction, form, and surface, creating emotive compositions that invite introspection and reflection. Central to her practice is the recurring use of circular forms—dynamic symbols that act as both anchors and meditative entry points. Layered and textured, these forms create rhythmic pulses within each composition, reflecting her ongoing dialogue with space, gesture, and the emotional resonance of colour.

Her approach to painting is tactile and meticulous. Surfaces are built up through layers of glazes, pigments, and gold leaf, yielding sensuous, luminous textures that appear to pulse with energy. The subtle radiance of gold leaf adds warmth and an ethereal quality, drawing viewers into a deeper, contemplative engagement with her work.

Velde-Schaffer often draws inspiration from her domestic environment, using it as both a reference and an anchor. Her paintings blur the line between figuration and abstraction, weaving hints of figurative imagery into abstract compositions. Through these layered dynamics, her work creates an intimate yet expansive dialogue between the personal and the universal, the internal and the external. The result is a practice that captures moments of transformation, where form and feeling, material and emotion, seamlessly converge.

Emma Velde-Schaffer holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (Painting) from the University of Canterbury’s Ilam School of Fine Arts and a Master of Design from the University of Technology, Sydney. Born and based in Ōtautahi Christchurch, she has exhibited widely, and her paintings are held in private collections throughout New Zealand.

We are excited to share her work with our community. To view available works by Emma Velde-Schaffer, click here.