Emma Pettit: 'When I moved to Spain the plan was to make art and foster dogs'

Although I had seen the name Emma Petitt on various posters advertising art walks and exhibitions in the Axarquía, our paths had never actually crossed until the Ruta del Arte in Frigiliana in October. I am delighted that they did. Like her art work, Emma is vibrant, colourful and engaging and we instantly hit it off. Perhaps it had something to do with our East Anglian roots.

Emma, 55, is originally from Norwich but moved to Bath to do her art foundation course at the age of 18 before going on to do a three-year course in three-dimensional ceramics. A 25-year career in "selling high-end products" at events like the Chelsea Flower Show ensued, during which time Emma says she had little time to create art.

But then, 10 years ago, she and her then partner decided to sell up and move abroad - considering Australia, Canada and New Zealand, the couple eventually settled on Europe and finally Andalucía.

However, when the relationship didn't work out and Emma decided she would stay in the house near Riogordo on her own, she "needed to earn a living". To "cut a long story short" Emma says she decided to see if she could make "this art thing" work.

Emma admits that right from the beginning she has always been "a commercial artist", creating eye-catching, bright, bold pieces, which she says are "fun and lighthearted".

Her "babes" - figurative paintings of curvaceous women in swimming costumes - have been a huge success in the USA, "especially in places like Florida and California, where people have pools at home or beach houses", the artist explains.

In fact, she painted one especially for the Frigiliana art walk when she learned she would be exhibiting at the Domadora y León craft beer shop. The painting represents La Domadora (the lion tamer) and the León (lion).

Then there's the tropical birds, fish and dogs, which were central to the exhibition in Frigiliana. While I was there she sold a toucan painting to a lady from Canada who happened to be visiting the area at the time.

In fact, most of Emma's work goes to North America. She says it was "never part of the business plan" but when she started promoting her work on social media and attending events, it was the market that she had most success in.

The American market she says is, "unlike anything else I'd ever experienced. In the UK and Europe art is seen as something for certain people. In the USA very regular people like to have real art in their homes."

Concerned about Trump's tariff wars and other events affecting the American economy, Emma has had concerns that the market would dry up, but she explains that the feedback she gets from her clients is that they still want something "fun" and "lighthearted".

She likens it to the Covid pandemic, when many were also looking for ways to brighten up their homes and give them something to smile at in uncertain times.

A big part of Emma's work is giving online art workshops, which she pre-records and in keeping with her positive, fun outlook, she says the classes are "very natural" and "unscripted".

"I watched loads of other people giving online classes on Instagram and so on and they were all so scripted and perfect. Art isn't like that. You get me in my painty old dungarees in my studio. If I muck it up, I talk through how to correct something. I wasn't seeing that in other online classes. Everything was so perfect," she says, adding, "I said, either people will love it or hate it and it seems to have become my unique selling point." Emma also organises art retreats on dry land and as part of cruises.

When she's not creating art, she's fostering puppies for a German-based organisation called Katalino which takes the rescue animals to Germany. She also has seven "failed fosters" that live with her permanently.

When I spoke to her, along with her own seven adult dogs, she was fostering three puppies and about to take on a further three. "I don't have much spare time," she laughs.

"When we moved to Spain my plan was to make art, become an eco-warrior and foster dogs. I haven't done too badly," Emma reflects.