Emmy DeClement

Mason Gross School of the Arts

[emilydeclement]

Selfie at the bar with Kelly

oil on canvas 

5′ x 4′

[emilydeclement]

Standing between Lizzy and a mirror

oil on canvas 

5′ x 4′

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Vape Lyfe

oil on canvas

5′ x 4′

[emilydeclement]

Thesis installation :) :)

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Slumped

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[emilydeclement]

Untitled, 2015

oil on canvas

[emilydeclement]

Untitled, 2015

oil on canvas

[emilydeclement]

Kitty, 2015

oil on canvas

[emilydeclement]

“Transformer” 2015, oil on canvas 

[emilydeclement]

Landscape, 2015

[emilydeclement]

Peeing In The Woods

18″x 24″

2015

[emilydeclement]

Interview

Tiffany: I see that in your work there seems to be this interest of infusing the body with elements in nature. Can you elaborate on this?

I try to infuse these elements, perhaps on a subconscious level because they are the two subject matters I have always loved to paint and draw and explore. I have always been very drawn to drawing and painting the figure in many different ways.  Nature is a huge inspiration for me in my work and in life, it constantly blows my mind how the most beautiful and perfect elements of this life are natural, not man made.  There is nothing more beautiful than a sunset or landscape or more perfect than the veins of leaves or in flowers and I try to capture the beauty of these elements.

Tiffany: The idea of incorporating real flowers within your work is interesting because part of it resides in the viewers space which could appeal to other senses like touch and smell.

This summer I moved in with my friend who is very knowledgable in horticulture and has many plants.  We have had many discussions of how even when though a single flower will bud, bloom, and then die relatively quickly, another bud will always be born in that place.  After their blooming season, the next year the plant will re bloom. I found this very interesting and a beautiful idea of the persistence of plants and nature, how we truly “are one” with our environment.  I started pressing flowers and thinking of them as objects to collaborate with illustrations that would be very contrasting elements but work together.  These could apply to the audience’s sense of touch and smell by implying soft floral elements but also optically create dimension.

Tiffany: How do you go about the process of you work? I see some use of photography and collage what kind of mediums / surfaces are you experimenting with right know?

My process usually starts with a quick sketch.  I definitely use photographs as reference and depending on the subject matter, observation. My process mostly consists of mapping out areas of color and light.  I like to use photographs I have taken. For some of my more abstract work I just paint intuitively based on how elements react on the canvas. This summer I did a lot of illustrations with pen.  I did some graffiti and experimented with acrylic, which I plan on using the two mediums together to experiment.  Oil remains my favorite medium. My original concept of the painting usually changes as I go through the process.

Tiffany: What kind of challenge’s / success  have you faced with in your studio practice. And where do you see your work progressing to?

My biggest challenge in my studio practice has been and continues to be applying all my painting interests into a personal style and theme.  I feel like I cannot let go of figures and representation but I also want to explore painting as a conversation between mediums and surface. I see my works progressing and what I aim for is a more cohesive conversation between the different elements of painting that I am interested in.

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