Emma Cairns

Hi I’m Kelly, a resin crafter (Resin Expectations), author (Beyond the Ordinary, Crafting in a Crisis, and Selling at Craft Events – A beginners Guide) and director of The Crafters Collective – Princes Mead Farnborough. As a female, neurodivergent, creative business owner, my mission is to help people be their authentic selves. Whether that’s with my creations – inspired by goth, fantasy and steampunk genres – or giving other crafters a space to sell their work, and express themselves through their creations, I want to make the benefits of creativity accessible to all. Crafting has been a focus throughout my life, whenever things have been difficult, and I want to share its mental health benefits with everyone.

I am a professional freelance artist and community arts facilitator based in Fleet, Hampshire, with over 25 years’ experience working across London and the South East. I specialise in plasticine model making, mosaics, and printmaking, delivering inclusive, hands-on workshops through my business Art for Everyone. I work with people of all ages and abilities in schools, festivals, community settings, and care environments. I believe passionately in the power of creativity to support wellbeing, build confidence, and bring communities together, creating fun and supportive spaces where everyone is encouraged to explore their own artistic potential.

I am an award-winning visual artist using moving image to create video art and installations, often incorporating multidisciplinary, site-specific and live artworks. The main focus of my work is how art and technology can be used to explore the embodiment of space by the self and other, while challenging notions of absence and presence, real and simulated, and live versus mediated experience. I use specialised equipment and innovative filmmaking techniques to engage audiences, allowing them to bring their own sense of self and experiences to the artworks.