Emma Whitehead is a self-taught, mixed-media visual artist specialising in innovative embroidery techniques using various materials. She re-discovered a passion for surface embroidery after exploring the possibilities of other mediums and has tested the limits of needle and thread for over 25 years.

Based in County Down, she is co-director of the artist-led gallery Top Floor Art Gallery & Open Studios. She also runs the TFA Studio Group, whose members research and prioritise sustainable artistic practice.

In 2019, she received the IDA Award from the University of Atypical for research and development of new ways of working adapted to disability. In January 2023, she completed a residency with the Wallace Collection in London. This opportunity enabled her to delve into the themes of time, space, memory, and personal history, which permeate her work.