Although John Emanuel has received no formal art training, his background as a decorator has served as an excellent foundation. His natural creativity inspired by a love of his subject - the figure and the figure embraced by the landscape, has developed into a consistent style.

His drawings exhibit a clear, classical form and a simplicity of line which strengthens the relationship between the contours of the figure and the contours of the land. He loves the singular beauty of the Cornish coastline and the extraordinary light. The notion of forms sleeping beneath the earth are a recurring theme.

John works in a variety of media: charcoal, gouache, oils and, more recently mixed media and lino-types, a method he learned from John Wells. His preferred medium is oil paint using hand and mould made papers laid down on archive quality board.