Artist Feature – Emily Mackenzie

Image © Diana Pappas

To most of our lovely Red Door customers, Emily Mackenzie will be a familiar name. Having worked with us at The Red Door since 2012. Her Greedy Gulls and I Love Sausages Prints have captured many hearts.  It’s alway nice to put a face to your favourite prints; and find out a little bit more about the artist behind them. So without further adeu……let us introduce you to Emily.

Customer Favourite – Greedy Gulls

Emily arrived in Edinburgh to study Graphic Design at Edinburgh College of Art, back in 2001. Hailing originally from Northumberland; Emily is from a very creative family of designers, artists and illustrators. With creativity in the blood, it seems only appropriate that she took herself off to Art School.

After studying design and enjoying the city life in Edinburgh, she decided to lay down roots. She now lives and works as a freelance illustrator from her lovely home studio.

Emily finds great inspiration when walking round Edinburgh, a favourite spot when in need of an inspiration injection, is the local Botanic Gardens. Emily was also lucky enough to grow up near a beautiful pine forest which has given her lots of inspiration over the years. Nature definitely feeds her imagination and she’s often drawn to woodland creatures in her work.

She works mainly with ink and watercolour on paper, but also enjoys, bringing her fun characters to life in the form of 3D screen printed and hand-embroidered plushes. Some of you might have been lucky to snag one of Emily’s special plushes from the gallery in the past. Smelly Cat was quite the favourite.

A life long dream to write and illustrated her own children’s book; has finally become a reality. Wanted! Ralfy Rabbit, Book Burglar, has just been published by Bloomsbury Publishing, with another in the pipeline for 2016! She’s one busy lady. Currently on a whirlwind tour promoting it; where she’s Running craft workshops with kids in schools and reading her book in bookshops across the country. We love Ralfy and can’t wait to see what’s in store with her second offering!

When Emily needs a break from the ink and watercolours she (like many of us!) likes to escape to her favourite local coffee spots to meet up with fellow illustrators. With so many to choose from in Edinburgh, where does Emily like to go?

Polentoni on Easter Road near her studio for their ‘amazing’ cakes, crepes and super lovely staff or The Broughton Deli on Barony Street (just off Broughton Street) when her cheese scone obsession needs satisfied.

A day trip to the seaside in North Berwick or a trip back to her parents house in Northumberland are the perfect escapes when Emily needs to step back from the pens and watercolours and refresh.

We hope you’ve enjoyed finding out a little bit more about Emily. We have the full range of her prints in our online shop and bricks and mortar gallery on Victoria Street.

50 shades of Scotland and England