Emily-Rose Wills
Photo: Melanie Kate Photography
I suppose that art found me, while I was hiding in high school corridors trying to work out who I was. It was a pathway that allowed for personality quirks and alternative thinking.
My immersion and connection to place further instilled my need to create, in order to communicate the relationship between identify and geographic location.
Art for me is a way to communicate. In the sense of abstraction, colour, tone and form become an external expression of the internal self. en route by one step at a time like this, Junction Arts Festival 2012 + 2013. "en route is a pedestrian-based mobile work – a love song to your city, in which the private and the public, imaginal and concrete, intersect and overlap".
My adoration for Launceston as a city and community was grounded by this work. My academic thinking was roused by the work; the notion of psychogeography and the notion of "the flâneur" became practical.
Sawtooth ARI was one of a handful of Launceston art orgs that cemented my ongoing career in the creative industries. I worked the bar, gallery sat, put chairs out for workshops and helped hang shows; whatever I could weasel my way in to. I remember working on the gala for a couple of years in a row. Along with some event management work, I was being given the space to have a play around with curating, which is a rare opportunity in hindsight.
The community around Sawtooth at the time (c. 2012-2015) became my people and are still dear to me today. I want to thank FDC, Marissa, Patrick and all of the Sawtooth crew from that time that gave me a home away from home after the death of my mother.
Beyond my involvement as a lurker/volunteer/occasionallypaidhelp, I've had two shows at Sawtooth, "Redefining Home" in 2017 and "Icelandic Landscapes / Icelandic Structures Project" in 2014. During my time with Mona Foma as one of their Program Managers, I was delighted to present the gallery in the festival line up.
Biography
Emily-Rose Wills, an artist and administrator, has established herself as a prominent figure in the Tasmanian arts and events industry. Currently based in the kinimathatakinta/George Town area, situated along the northern coast of lutruwita/Tasmania between the mouth of rupila mangina/Pipers River and kanamaluka/Tamar River, her journey in the arts has been marked by a constant exploration of the intersection between individual identity and geographic location.
In 2015, Emily-Rose completed her Bachelor of Contemporary Arts at the University of Tasmania in Launceston. Following her degree, she relocated to Hobart, where she delved into her interdisciplinary arts practice and career. For almost eight years, Emily-Rose contributed significantly to the Southern lutruwita/Tasmanian arts scene, particularly through her roles with Mona Foma and the Music team at Mona (Museum of Old and New Art). Recently, she has returned to Northern lutruwita/Tasmania, bringing her experience and artistic insight back to the region.
Her current role is with the George Town Council. After a short stint as an Executive Assistant, she now holds the position of Arts and Culture Officer. In this capacity, Emily-Rose brings passion for the arts to her hometown municipality, overseeing and fostering creative initiatives within the community.
Throughout her career, Emily-Rose has been deeply committed to the Tasmanian arts and events community. Her diverse roles include working with prominent institutions and organizations such as Mona Foma, Mona (Museum of Old and New Art), Derwent Valley Arts, Constance ARI, Music Tasmania, Junction Arts Festival, Stompin Youth, Party in the Paddock, Falls Festival, Sawtooth ARI, The Village, and more.
Emily-Rose's return to the North marks a homecoming of sorts, reconnecting her with the landscapes and communities that have long been integral to her artistic practice.