Born in Münster, Germany, and based in Bristol, Emma Stibbon studied at the University of the West of England and the Chelsea School of Art. Her practice is deeply rooted in the observation of environments undergoing transformation, often focusing on remote or volatile locations such as volcanic regions and polar ice fields.

Stibbon primarily works in drawing and printmaking, utilizing materials like charcoal, ink, and volcanic ash to capture the fragility and scale of the natural world. Her work frequently engages with the history of landscape painting, reinterpreting traditional motifs through a contemporary lens of environmental flux.

As a Royal Academician, Stibbon maintains a significant presence in the British contemporary art scene. Her work is held in numerous public collections, and she continues to exhibit internationally, often documenting the physical evidence of climate change through her rigorous, site-specific research.