Emilia Symis
Emilia Symis graduated from Norwich University of the Arts in 2019 with a BA(Hons) degree in Fine Art, in the same year she was fortunate enough to make the final of the John Ruskin Prize and was awarded the winner of the Bishop's Art Prize. Since graduating, Emilia has exhibited across the country and sold work worldwide. In 2026, she was given the opportunity to help select the prize winners of the 'In Proximity' exhibition at Norwich Castle, and she was also awarded the Karin Walker Young Artist Award at the Society of Women Artist's 165th Annual exhibition at Mall Galleries in London. She was runner-up in the Sworders Art Prize in 2020.
She works in a photorealist manner, building paintings in thin layers from her own staged reference photography. Her subjects are food, drink and flowers, and her recent work has begun to include the artist's hands at the edge of the canvas. Having worked in acrylic since 2021, she moved to oil as her primary medium in 2025.
Her solo exhibitions include Razzle Dazzle at Nunnsyard, Norwich (2018), A Feast for the Senses at The Corn Hall, Diss (2020), Vivid Memories at the Anteros Arts Foundation, Norwich (2021), Flora Chromatica at The Crypt Gallery, Norwich (2023), a pop-up exhibition at East Point Pavilion, Lowestoft (2023), A Real Treat at Moosey, Norwich (2025), and Upon The Dining Table at Fabulous Frames, Norwich (2026).
Her work has been shown in group exhibitions including Free Range at The Truman Brewery and Feasting on Femininity at Les Fêtes Galantes, both London (2019), the John Ruskin Prize exhibition Agent of Change at the Holden Gallery, Manchester (2019), the Sworders Art Prize at the Holt Festival (2020, 2021, 2022), the Institute of East Anglian Artists Open Exhibition at The Gallery, Holt (2021, 2023), Fauna & Flora at the Yare Gallery, Great Yarmouth (2022), A Matter of Taste at Babylon Arts, Ely (2023), the Sir John Hurt Prize at Holt (2023, 2024, 2026), An Artist's Refuge and Out of the Grey at Parndon Mill, Harlow (2024), East 24 at The Bank Gallery, Eye (2024), the FYS Summer Exhibition at Fox Yard Studio, Stowmarket (2024), Food for Thought: A Tasting Menu at the Norman Rea Gallery, York (2026), and the Society of Women Artists' 165th Annual Open Exhibition at the Mall Galleries, London (2026).