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Draughtsman, painter, designer and teacher, born in Scotland. His family went to South Africa in 1949 and he obtained his national diploma in graphic design at Cape Technical College, 1969. Worked in advertising, 1970–6, latterly beginning to draw and paint, being self-taught as a painter. From 1976–7 Emsley lived in England, and on returning to South Africa taught design and drawing, from 1983 at Department of Creative Arts, University of Stellenbosch. Emsley said that constant drawing had taught him “the deep significance of even the most ordinary forms … I try to draw not only what I see, but also what I wish I had seen.” He took part in South African Art, 1978–9, touring America, which went to São Paulo, Brazil; and in Cape Town Biennial and Triennials from 1979.

Text source: 'Artists in Britain Since 1945' by David Buckman (Art Dictionaries Ltd, part of Sansom & Company)


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