Em Collier

Gorham, ME

Em Collier is a fourth-generation woodworker whose practice explores the intersection of function, ornament, and sculpture. As the owner of a custom art framing business, she spends much of her time making frames for other people's artwork, while using those same materials and skills to create sculptural objects of her own. Her work includes functional pieces such as boxes, lamps, and mirrors, with an emphasis on intricate detail, repetition, and handwork. Drawn to the history and traditions of tramp art, she is particularly interested in how simple materials and repeated patterns can be transformed into elaborate, decorative objects.