About Emma Coombes | Tasmanian Fine Art Photographer
Discovering Tasmania nature Mythic
Emma Coombes is a Tasmanian photographic artist whose work draws on mythology, folklore, and the natural world to create atmospheric narratives that blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy. Influenced by the dramatic storytelling of Baroque painting and a deep connection to Tasmania's wild landscapes, her practice explores symbolism, enchantment, and the magic of the everyday.
Emma Coombes - The Elm & the Raven
Working from her studio, the Elm & the Raven, part of the Artisan's Hand studio collective located in Tasmania's Huon Valley, Emma constructs carefully composed images that draw on the textures of the Tasmanian landscape, native wildlife, and a controlled, painterly use of light and focus.
Her work has received national and international recognition, including selection as a finalist in the 2026 Australian Photography Awards (Landscape) and winning the People's Vote Award (Professional Still Life), along with an Honourable Mention from the jury, in the 2026 ReFocus International Colour Photography Awards.
Emma's work has been exhibited in solo and group exhibitions throughout Tasmania and is held in private collections across Australia. Her Tasmanian Still Life series reimagines the classical still life through a distinctly Tasmanian lens and to be exhibited at the heritage-listed Henry Jones Art Hotel in 2026..
IIn 2025, Emma was artist-in-residence at the Henry Jones Art Hotel, where she developed Tasmanian Still Life—a body of Baroque-inspired photographic works that weave together native Tasmanian flora, found objects, and symbolic narratives.
Awards & Nominations
- Winner of the Still Life (Professional) People's Vote Award in the 2026 international Refocus Colour Photography Awards and received an Honourable Mention from the Judging panel.
- Finalist in the 2026 Australian Photography Landscape Awards
- Finalist in the 2025 Henry Jones Art Prize
- Finalist in the 2025 Ravenswood Australian Women’s Art Prize - Australia's highest value art prize for women.
- Winner 2025 Geeveston Art Award (Photography)
- Nominee 2025 Refocus Colour Photography Awards
- Finalist in the 2024 Henry Jones Art Prize
With a background in design and communication, Emma has exhibited her work in both solo and group shows across Tasmania, where her artistic vision is shaped by a strong sense of visual composition and narrative.
Her work draws on a deep connection to place, exploring the quiet drama of the Tasmanian landscape and the emotional resonance found in its hostile beauty.
Exhibitions
Emma has held two solo exhibitions and is currently developing a third, scheduled for 2026.
Untamed Tasmania: The Wild Natural Heart of Our Island (2025) – Cradle Mountain Wilderness Gallery (January to April). A fine Art and Nature Photography exhibition harnessing the beauty of Tasmania's Cradle Mountain and Wilderness regions.
DEADWOOD (2023) – Huon Valley Artbox and Hub Gallery
Upcoming projects...
- TASMANIAN STILL LIFE | A solo Exhibition Henry Jones Art Hotel (August 25 - October 4 2026) - a new body of work referencing the beauty of the Dutch still life with a Tasmanian twist.
- ARTISTS OF THE HUON VALLEY | A group exhibition featuring a collection of artists' from Tasmania's Huon Valley, spanning painters, potters, sculptors and paper mediums (September 10 - September 20, 2026)
Other Events...
- 23-25 October 2026 - Huon Valley Studio Art Trail
- October 2025 - Artist in Residence at 'The Artisan's Hand' Cygnet, Tasmania.
- 24-26 October 2025 - Huon Valley Studio Art Trail.
- July 2025 - Artist in Residence Henry Jones Art Hotel
For More Information
Connect
There are many ways to connect with me at The Elm & the Raven. Connect via social media, visit the studio or send an email to emma@elmandtheraven.com