Exhibition
Emily Carter – Feeling into the unknown
Date
From: 31st January
To: 18th April
Entry
FREE
Venue
Hartlepool Art Gallery, Church Street, TS24 7EQ
Open Tuesday – Saturday (10am – 5pm)
In her new exhibition, local artist Emily Carter (ECCarter Art) combines her life-long obsession with colour and her innate love of the natural world. She explores a range of subjects in her abstract paintings – experimenting with bold, colourful gestures in a breathtaking showcase of artworks.
Hartlepool Art Gallery will host a powerful and deeply personal exhibition by local artist and community facilitator Emily Carter from 31 January to 18 April, presenting a new body of work that explores identity, mental health, grief, and connection to spirit and energy.
Emily who is originally from West Yorkshire moved to Hartlepool and settled after studying at The Northern School of Art.
The exhibition brings together a collection that traces Emily’s creative journey from childhood to the present day, beginning with works inspired by her parents and early experiences, and evolving into her most recent paintings, which explore intuitive mark-making, colour, emotion, and spiritual connection.
The work reflects how art has become a vital tool for processing feelings, navigating grief, and reconnecting with the self beyond words.
Running throughout the exhibition is a strong emphasis on art as a supportive, pressure-free practice. Emily is particularly interested in addressing what she describes as the “art wound” — the experience many people carry from school, where being told they were “not good at art” led them to abandon creativity altogether. This exhibition aims to challenge that narrative, offering visitors reassurance that art is not about perfection, but expression, exploration, and care.
A unique and central element of the exhibition is its community focus. Alongside Emily’s own work, the gallery will feature artworks by members of the local community and students she has taught over recent years, many of whom will be exhibiting for the first time. In addition, a special mini exhibition showcases artwork by her daughter, nieces and nephews, celebrating children’s natural, unfiltered creativity.
The exhibition also invites interaction, encouraging visitors to reflect on loved ones, and their own experiences through written prompts and creative responses, offering alternative ways to express what may feel difficult to say aloud.
This exhibition is an invitation to slow down, reconnect, and rediscover creativity as a meaningful and accessible part of everyday life.
Exhibition runs: 31 January – 18 April
Venue: Hartlepool Art Gallery