Set Design, Scenic Art, Illustration
Emma J. Pegg
Personal Introduction
I am a creative, hard-working individual who enjoys learning new skills and facing artistic challenges. In my career I hope to work on many interesting set design and illustration projects. Having extensively studied both Architecture and Fine Art, and worked as the design department assistant on a live TV show, I now work as a freelance designer.
Key experience
The Lace Market Theatre
October 2012 - present
Set Designer:
Nov 2022 Hay Fever (Noël Coward)
Dec 2021 How the Other Half Loves (Alan Ayckbourn)
Dec 2019 Season’s Greetings (Alan Ayckbourn)
June 2018 Rough Crossing (Tom Stoppard)
June 2016 Betrayal (Harold Pinter)
Feb 2015 Bedroom Farce (Alan Ayckbourn)
Oct 2013 God of Carnage (Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton)
Scenic Artist/Set Painter:
2022 Hay Fever
2021 How the Other Half Loves
2019 Season's Greetings
2018 Rough Crossing
2017 The Ladykillers
2016 A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Betrayal | Cause Célèbre | Brontë
2015 Lion in Winter | Bedroom Farce | Dead Ringer | Present Laughter
2014 Deathtrap | Happy Days | Jerusalem | White Christmas
2013 On Golden Pond | The Winslow Boy | Women of Troy | God of Carnage
2012 Wyrd Sisters
Other (Prop-making/ Illustration etc):
Dec 2019 Season’s Greetings (Alan Ayckbourn) – Puppet show props
Jun 2016 Betrayal (Harold Pinter) – Prop-making
Nov 2015 The Pitmen Painters (Lee Hall) – Protest banner prop
Sep 2014 Damages (Steve Thompson) - Scenic art newspaper collage
July 2013 Cover illustration, 2013/14 season programme
Theatre
Referees
CLARA ZITA
Former Production Designer at
ITV This Morning
TILLY BRANSON
Theatre Director;
Research Student/PhD full-time (University of Nottingham);
PhD Research Associate at
New Perspectives Theatre Company.
[Details available on request]
Emerging Perspectives 2015/16: New Perspectives Theatre Co.
Prop-maker/Buyer:
Just Cuckoos (Cathy Grindrod) July 2016
I made a dog skull prop for the youth theatre show.
I designed and painted a backcloth for Arletty Theatre's new musical about fashion and body-image, for performances at the Buxton Fringe. I also made some shadow-puppets!
Emerging Perspectives 2014/15: New Perspectives Theatre Co.
Designer (Costume, Props):
This Place (Alison Dunne, Imogen Joyce, Saraa Rain) July 2015
I designed and made a puppet and some animal tails for the scratch n' sniff of Arletty Theatre's new family musical which explores fashion and our obsession as a society with the perfect body image, through the whimsical tale of fictional fashionista Indigo Higgins.
I painted a backcloth for Arletty Theatre's current production which explores the story of the Chilwell Shell Filling Factory in WWI, its Canary Girls, and the tragic explosion in 1918.
New Perspectives Theatre Co./Tilly Branson (PhD Pilot)
Set Dresser/Costume/Propmaker: Something Blue [Beccy Smith]
September 2014
This project was part of a PhD study - part-scripted and part-devised in rehearsals before being presented to a village hall audience, as part of an exploration into interactive rural work in theatre.
Emerging Perspectives 2013/14: New Perspectives Theatre Co.
Designer (Set, Costume, Props):
Behind Closed Doors (Rob Wileman, Kelly Poucher, Emily Holyoake, Rob Turnock) July 2014
Graphic Designer:
Sleuth (Anthony Shaffer) November 2013
Designer/Propmaker:
Thanks to His Sister (Robin Acland) March - April 2013
STEP UP Ensemble 2012/13: New Perspectives Theatre Co.
Co-Designer:
Due Course (Marilyn Ricci, Rick Briggs, Dickie Garton & Step Up Ensemble) July 2013
As an ensemble of 12 aspiring theatre-makers from across the East Midlands, we took part in a range of workshops run by New Perspectives Theatre Company and visiting theatre practitioners, from Autumn 2012 to Summer 2013. Our training culminated in a mini-tour of 'Due Course' a piece which was part-devised and part-composed of 4 scripts selected from the DREAM UP writing competition. I co-designed the show with Laura Burrows, and we sourced costume and props and designed and painted the set. I also designed some promotional imagery for the marketing of the tour. Our mini-tour took in theatres and rural venues in the East Midlands and provided an extremely valuable learning curve whilst we were guided and supported every step of the way by New Perspectives, the East Midlands' leading rural touring theatre producer.
New Street Theatre & Nottingham Lakeside Arts
Set Painter:
The Wiz (William F. Brown/Charlie Smalls adapt. by Martin Berry) July 2015
Sweeney Todd (Sondheim/Wheeler adapt. by Christopher Bond) July 2013
Lysistrata (Aristophanes adapt. by Martin Berry) April 2013
New Perspectives Theatre Company
Scenic Artist (Freelance):
A Christmas Carol (Charles Dickens) October - November 2012
[Untitled Children's Book Pilot]
Illustrator
August 2014 - present
Illustration
I designed a new poster for Arletty Theatre's current touring production, which tells the story of the 'Canary Girls' who worked in the Chilwell Shell Filling Factory in WWI.
I created an illustrated poster to promote the 2Magpies' show Ventoux for its dates at the 2015 Edinborough Festival.
[Untitled Graphic Novel Pilot]
Designer/Illustrator
December 2014 - May 2015
I designed print graphics for an interactive theatre performance forming part of a PhD study.
I designed an illustrated poster and flyer which was used to promote the 2Magpies' tour of their interactive theatre piece The Litvinenko Project. Devised by the 2Magpies whilst studying for their masters degrees, the show has been performed at various cafe venues such as the cafe at Nottingham's Lakeside Arts Centre during the NEAT festival in spring 2014. During 2015, 2Magpies toured The Litvinenko Project to various UK cities.
Arletty Theatre
Illustrator/Graphic Designer: The Unfurling of Indigo Higgins
November - December 2014
I designed an illustrated poster/invite for Arletty Theatre's new family musical which explores fashion and our obsession as a society with the perfect body image, through the whimsical tale of fictional fashionista Indigo Higgins.
This Morning, ITV
Design Department Assistant / Prop Stylist cover (Freelance)
Dec 2012 • Mar + Dec 2013 • Jan + Aug + Oct 2014 • Apr + Jun + Sep 2015
(various dates in the months listed above)
TV & Film
I have been variously engaged as Assistant Art Director to produce concept art for the Production Designer to present at meetings as well as some illustration/graphics work for use on-screen, prop-making and assistance on the live show, as well as cover for the Prop Stylist.
Brokenblonde (Nottingham)
Set Dresser/Propmaker: Music video for Canary (Tallulah Rendall)
April 2013
Miscellaneous Design
Amtico
Freelance Creative Department: Floor Layout Design
November 2016
I supported the Design team by exploring alternative scale and proprotion options for some of their in-development laying patterns.
People Express
Workshop Artist
October 2016
I worked with artist and animator Jennifer Booth and a small group of local teenagers, making props and costume elements which we then used in creating footage for a short piece of abstract film (later edited by Jen) based around the ideas of theatre d'ombres and abstracting the human form. The workshop took place during the half-term holiday in Swadlincote and the film will be projected at the students' school later in the year.
People Express
Installation Artist
August - September 2016
I was commissioned by People Express (along with photographer Chris Mear) to design and make an interactive installation titled 'For the Love of Lettuce' to go on display at the Melbourne Festival in South Derbyshire, in order to celebrate the town of Melbourne's strong market gardening tradition which continues to this day despite the dwindling of the industry in general. Chris and I were mentored by Janet Vaughan from Talking Birds.
People Express
Installation Artist
April 2016 - June 2016
I was commissioned by the charity People Express, to design and make an installation presenting work made by participants of the Crafty Chatters project. The Crafty Chatters project had organised craft workshops for dementia sufferers, in association with various artists and practitioners. I was tasked with taking the work that had been made by participants, and transforming it into a coherent installation piece. My work involved elements of graphic design and prop-making, including making lightboxes, a photograph album, cushion covers (from a fabric design produced by the group) and some prop plants which showed off some of the leaf prints produced by the group. The installation was first displayed at South Derbyshire's Festival of Leisure in June 2016.
Amtico
Freelance Creative Department: Floor Layout Design
September 2015 - December 2015
I supported the Design team by exploring new laying pattern options for the existing range of both Spacia and Signature LVT flooring.
Madhatters Tearoom, Kimberley
Mural Artist
January - March 2015
As part of the tearoom's re-opening in February 2015, at its new premises within Alice's Antiques in Kimberley, Nottinghamshire, I was commissioned to design and paint a mural in keeping with the Alice in Wonderland theme, to transform the entrance between shop and tearoom.
Amtico
Freelance Creative Department: Floor Layout Design
May 2013 - May 2014
My role concentrated on supporting the Creative team by designing new tile formats and laying patterns to be developed into products for the Signature range of LVT. I also worked with members of the team to design a floor for a new Hong Kong office and for the Amtico exhibition stand at the 2013 100% Design trade fair. In 2014 I focused on designing new laying patterns for a range of carpet tiles in development at the time, and worked on ideas for new tile formats and surface patterns to expand the carpet range.
The University of Nottingham
Practical Academic Support Worker - Specialist Mentor [Casual]
November 2015 - May 2016
Non-Design
The University of Nottingham
Practical Academic Support Worker - Note-taker [Casual]
September 2014 - May 2016
Legal & Democratic Services, Borough of Poole
Secretary
October 2010 - April 2011
Education & Training
Since 2012, I have taken part in a range of one-off workshops which have introduced me to various theatre practises and skills, run by RSC Open Stages, Complicité (with Ideastap), New Perspectives Theatre Company and Bamboozle Theatre.
Arts University Bournemouth
Set Design for Theatre Summer School July - Aug 2014
This was an in-depth summer course, lasting 3 weeks. As a small group of 7 students, with 3 tutors and a visiting director, we were introduced to various theatre design topics by way of lectures and group discussions as well as self-study. The first week involved a trip to London where we visited a set builder's, an exhibition and had backstage tours of the National Theatre and The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time set after seeing the show.
As we worked more on our individual designs for The Rivals by Sheridan, we covered various model-making techniques, and visited the space for which we would design our set. We discussed our ideas at the initial and design development stage with the visiting director, and presented our finished modelboxes and supporting work on the final day.
New Perspectives Theatre Company
Step Up Creatives Ensemble 2012 - 2013
The training ensemble consisted of 12 emerging theatre-makers with a wide range and cross-over of interests (including performing, directing, stage managing, marketing, writing, designing and composing) who were based in the East Midlands and was run by staff at New Perspectives Theatre Company.
As an ensemble we explored various theatre skills by way of specialised workshops organised by New Perspectives, bringing in practitioners to run sessions on a variety of topics such as puppetry, mask work, circus skills, technical theatre, special effects, voice and script breakdown. The culmination of our training focussed on developing a piece which was part-devised during a rehearsal week and part-scripted from the winners and runners up of a writing competition run in parallel. We toured to 5 rural locations in the East Midlands.
Since the Ensemble's year came to an end, the lasting bonds I have formed with several fellow members has led on to collaborating on other exciting arts and theatre projects.
Arts University Bournemouth
ABC Level 3 Award in Fashion & Textiles (Tailoring) Jan - April 2011
This evening course ran for 10 weeks and we covered various seam types, learning to use the lock-stitch machines and overlockers. We also made a sleeve and used a pattern to create an A-line skirt with zip, which we submitted together with a written piece for assessment.
Central Saint Martins, University of the Arts London
Set Design for Film & Television (Summer) Aug 2010
This was a week-long summer course which culminated in the presentation of our design ideas for a late night music and chat show pilot to the rest of the group, in the form of scaled set models and supporting material.
University of Nottingham: School of the Built Environment
DipArch Architecture, Merit 2008 - 2010
BArch Architecture, 2.1 2004 - 2007
Whilst at University I joined various societies including Life Drawing, the Student Film Society and was a member of Tongue & Groove, the Architect's Lectures society, where I attended evening lectures by visiting architects and designers. I also created some illustrations for an issue of a student magazine and went on field trips to Holland and Cuba with my studio group.
During my final year, 2009 - 2010, I set up a student chapter of the charity Article 25 along with a couple of classmates, and worked towards getting it recognised as a SU society. We liaised with the charity HQ and organised events in our department to raise awareness and funds as well as designing & painting a mural at a primary school in our local community.
Arts University Bournemouth
Diploma in Foundation Studies in Art & Design (Fine Art/Illustration), Distinction 2003 - 2004
During my time at art college, I regularly took extra-curricular evening classes in Life Drawing to expand and improve my skills beyond what I was learning on the course itself.
Animation Summer School July 2001
This summer course covered a variety of animation styles and skills at beginner level such as hand-drawn animation (bouncing ball, hopping rabbit and a walking person) stop-motion and cut-out animation where we created our own story and used a rostrum camera to film it.
Parkstone Grammar School, Poole, Dorset.
A-Levels: Art (A), Physics (A), Maths (B) 2003
AS-Levels: Music (A), History of Art (C), Gen. Studies (C) 2002 - 2003
GCSEs: Eng Lang (A*), Eng Lit (A*), Maths (A*), Dual Science Award (A*, A*), History (A*), German (A*), Business Studies (A), Art (A*), Music (A*) 2001
During my time at secondary school I was involved in various extra-curricular societies including:
Senior Orchestra, Senior Singers, Flute Choir, Da Vinci Languages Course.
Outside of the school environment I worked through various practical and theory music grades, passing Grade 5 Music Theory in summer 1998 and Grade 8 Flute with Distinction in spring 2001.