The Wonder Series – A Solo Exhibition by Emma Woolley
Press Release
The Wonder Series – A Solo Exhibition by Emma Woolley
8th–31st August 2025
• nook • gallery & studios, Kings Heath, Birmingham
Emma Woolley presents The Wonder Series, a new solo exhibition of bold, intimate portraiture exploring the wildness, softness, and emotional complexity of being human.
Created throughout 2024, The Wonder Series marks Woolley’s return to painting after a period of grief and creative silence following the loss of her mother. The work is raw and instinctive - painted close-up, face-first, with no distractions from the world around. These are not portraits of particular people. They are emotional records. Echoes of connection. Glimpses of the unsaid.
Rendered in oil, charcoal, and oil stick, Woolley’s large-scale heads emerge with visceral energy. Some whisper. Some ache. Others feel unhinged, defiantly alive. Each one invites the viewer into a space that sits somewhere between tenderness and chaos, memory and imagination.
Highlights of the exhibition include Parma Violet, a cult-favourite piece from the series, known for its candyfloss palette and eerie sweetness. In tribute, the opening night will be infused with the scent of Parma Violets, turning the event into a sensory experience that blurs the line between painting and presence.
Alongside the original works, visitors can pick up a limited edition Wonder Series art zine (just 50 available), as well as a small run of signed and certified Giclée prints.
📎 Download the press pack
A zipped folder containing the press release and a selection of high-resolution images.
Key Dates
• Thursday 7th August, 5–8pm – Meet the Maker + Live Painting Demos
• Friday 8th August, 7–9pm – Opening Night (all welcome)
• 8th–31st August – Exhibition open to the public
Gallery opening times available via: nook-gallery.co.uk
Venue
• nook • gallery & studios
25c Institute Road
King’s Heath, Birmingham
B14 7EG
Opening Hours
Thursday: 11am – 4pm
Friday: 11am – 5:30pm
Saturday: 11am – 5:30pm
Sunday: 11am – 4pm
Monday – Wednesday: Closed
🗺️ Located just off the main high street (Institute Road) in the heart of King’s Heath.
📍 Approx. 1 hour from central Birmingham by public transport (24 mins by car).
If you have any questions about the show please contact • nook • gallery & studios
If you would like to directly contact Emma Woolley: emma@yousaytomato.co.uk
or would like a press pack, feel free to get in touch.