Cesarina - my studio, mistress, muse

It all started when…

I met my future husband, owner of this beautiful boat, in Colombia. It is a long story - come and grab a cup of coffee with me some time and I’ll tell you all about it.

In September 2020, my paints and I moved aboard this beauty. She had already stolen my heart.

She is a true sailor’s boat, set up for long-distance passage making. There’s a watermaker where other boats might have a washing machine; a life raft where you could have perhaps put a deckchair; a generator where a wardrobe could have gone. She’s big on the outside - and cosy on the inside, all highly varnished mahogany and beautifully turned cabinetry.

Other artists have spacious, airy studios. I have to be a bit more creative about where and when I paint!

To compensate for the lack of space, I do the following:

IMG_20210610_101456_783[1].jpg — Only use the best

I only buy the best quality paints and other paraphernalia - I never need more than one of anything and I save so much space that way

IMG_20210610_101456_760[1].jpg — Keep everything stored safely

I pack everything away in robust and watertight containers so that they can’t leak - or get wet at any point!
I stow everything away at the end of each day. Did you notice those blue seats? They have storage behind and underneath. There’s also a little storage under the floorboards but this space is mostly given over to massive diesel and water tanks.

Emma Henke painting a seascape called Warm Front Approaching.jpg — Paint outside!

I paint outside as much as possible. I don’t have to worry about getting paint on the cabinetry!
I actually paint on deck on board Cesarina quite often and the effect that the movement of the boat has on the paint is quite wonderful. It can be quite challenging though, especially when ‘helpful’ motor boaters drive past a bit fast and a bit close!

Lack of space and a moving painting platform have not stopped me painting. I do my best, almost every day, to perform an act of magic - wrestling light and reflections and colour from our 3D world onto a two-dimensional surface. I live and breathe the sea breeze and salty water and do my best to share this with you. It doesn’t matter if you are a sailor or a coastal lover, I just want to share this all with you.

Want to see what I’ve been up to? Click here for my latest work, or go here to read my latest news.