Emi Hanes, originally from Germany, now living in Bansko/Bulgaria and Kamilari/
Greece is a watercolour artist and musician.
Her graphic artwork is based on Urban and Natural Sketching and the Atmosphe-
re created by Ink and Watercolour coming together. Watercolour and ink move
between control and intuition, between observation and the unpredictable behavi-
our of water, pigment and light. Each piece reflects a different aspect of how she ex-
periences places through pen and brush – not as perfect reproductions, but as living
intuitive impressions shaped by the moment.
Emi writes shapes in ink and atmospheres in watercolour. Watercolour allows her
to capture not just what she sees, but how she experiences a place: through move-
ment, light, intuition and the unpredictable nature of the medium. Spontaneous and
made on site, her sketches show the feeling in the moment and the magic of places
often overlooked. Her practice is rooted in observation, immediacy and community
engagement. Drawn directly on location, rather than architectural precision a sketch
is a record of presence – imperfect, spontaneous, and inseparable from the mo-
ment in which it was made. Each sketch is a counter-proposal to the smartphone
„selfie“ or the thousands of photos in our phone we never look at again. Each
sketch is an alternative way to discuss reality: Not with filters and AI enhancement,
but with a pen and a small box of watercolours.
Sketching on site also frequently becomes a shared act of observation and dialogue.
Passers-by are curious, locals recognize their homes and begin to discuss about
the picture. We have millions of smartphone pictures, but who has had their home
painted by a person? The mere presence of the sketcher causes reactions, discussi-
ons, the neighbours are invited, the friends are called – and we have a social effect,
an agora-style communication about places that were invisible just minutes before.
Her sketches were exhibited in Sofia, Bansko and Kamilari.
photo by Jan Seeger
emi.hanes@proton.me
https://emihanes.art/
