In this episode, Ceri is joined by the extraordinary Erica Eyres, a Canadian-born, Glasgow-based artist whose work lingers in the mind long after viewing. Known for her dark humour and emotionally charged aesthetic, Erica’s practice explores the intersection of self-portraiture and social critique. Her drawings and videos peel back the layers of human behaviour, revealing the contradictions, vulnerabilities, and quiet discomforts we all carry.
Represented by Norberg Hall Gallery, and exhibited internationally, Erica has developed a deeply personal and prolific body of work. Her practice embraces contradiction—desire and repulsion, freedom and isolation, visibility and withholding—while creating space for emotional nuance. Whether through melancholy drawings or acerbic character studies, she invites us to look closer, even when the view feels uncomfortably familiar.
In this episode, Erica reflects on what drives her to create and the conditions she needs to stay focused and generative. She shares how she maintains momentum in the studio, how privacy supports her process, and how she balances the freedom of solitary work with the benefits of the creative community. We also explore the complexities of professional relationships—knowing when to nurture them and when to let them go.
Throughout our conversation, Erica opens up about receiving criticism, selling to high-profile collectors, and how her work is interpreted differently across cultural contexts. She reminds us that strong reactions, whether positive or negative, often mean the work is doing something right. As she puts it, “If everyone liked it, it would be pretty unremarkable.”
What makes Erica’s approach so compelling is her deep understanding of psychological nuance. She speaks with honesty about withholding—not just in art, but in life—and how this instinct can shape our creative output. Is the act of holding back a protective strategy, or an unconscious pattern? And how might our work shift if we became more aware of it?
In the end, Erica leaves us with an empowering message for any creative struggling with doubt or uncertainty: “Keep making, keep pushing, and find those who connect with your work. Everything and everyone has their time.” It’s a timely reminder that our work doesn’t need to please everyone—it just needs to find the right people, at the right time.
Whether you’re deep in your own creative practice or simply curious about how artists make sense of the world, this episode offers a rich, thought-provoking look into the life and work of one of contemporary art’s most fascinating voices.
What We Learned from Erica Eyres
Listen to the full episode and discover how Erica’s reflections on dark humour, vulnerability, and creative discipline can illuminate your own artistic path.
