Emma Coyle has been working in the industry for over 20 years. The London-based artist is represented by the Helwaser gallery on Madison Avenue in New York. The gallery hosted ‘The Best Revenge’, a solo show of Coyle’s paintings last year. The show was listed 12th in GalleriesNow’s August Special as one of ‘The 30 most popular exhibitions on now’[worldwide]. Artnet also listed the show among its ‘five sizzling emerging artists’. We had the pleasure to speak with Emma to discuss her work and current projects.
Emma, thanks for taking the time to speak to us. How and when did you begin to take an interest in the arts?
I think from a very young age I became interested in art. Art is something that has always been a part of me. I can’t remember a time when I was not interested in making art, whether it be painting or making something in a 3D form. I find making art a very satisfying process and it is the process itself that has been very important to my work. From start to finish on any piece, every stage is very relevant.
You studied at the National College of Art & Design in Ireland. Please share your experiences of this establishment and how it influenced your early practice.
NCAD was the perfect place for me to study art. It was predominately studio-based and very hands-on work. I had fantastic facilities at hand to explore any kind of art medium I wanted to experiment in. I have always had an interest in painting but also in printmaking, drawing, and photography. For me, one of the most important features of the college was its library. I have always been an avid reader, reading three or four books at a time. Within the four years of my studies, I went from one side of the library to the other, reading books from every aspect of art. I was intrigued by everything and still am. I think it is so important for any artist to be as knowledgeable as possible, it has a great impact on the quality of your work.
You trained in photography, drawing, sculpture, ceramics, graphic Design, and mixed media but painting appears to be your preference. Please share with us your creative process and what draws you to this medium.
I have been painting for over twenty years now and I still love the process of making a painting. My current figurative paintings have been inspired by American Pop art. I use advertising and fashion print media images as a starting point. I am always collecting images, and always looking. Every two to three years I look through all the piles of magazines I have collected and start compiling images. The main aspect I am looking for in an image is a strong form or line. From then I work with drawings, taking images, and minimizing details. My focus is always to produce a strong drawing to work with and to bring this forward into the painting process. The traditional elements of painting are very important to me, the mixing of color, composition, and line work. For me, all these combined make strong images. And using large canvases really makes an impact on each piece.
Are there any particular artists that have influenced your work?
I am always in galleries looking at art, modern or contemporary, it is another important part of being an artist. You need to get away from the internet and see work in a space. I would say that there are many artists, past and present, who seeing their work, make me want to work even harder and that is the most important aspect of influence for me.
London abstract painter Sara Twomey is a friend and a very inspiring artist to be around, I always enjoy studio visits to see new work being produced. I have mentioned my influence from the American Pop artists of the 1960s, I even knew Mel Ramos before he passed away, but I have a keen interest in many different artists. Michael Heizer, Richard Serra, Alex Katz, Lisa Brice, and Michael Armitage are a few among a huge list of contemporary artists who I find very inspiring.
I’m drawn to the meekness yet sophistication of your Sw16 Watercolour Series. Please tell us more about the inspiration for the series.
Sw16 watercolour series is the result of an intense period of painting, working from fifty preliminary drawings. I am always looking for different paint mediums to add to my art practice. Usually, my figurative work is very large, and I use acrylic. I wanted to take the color aspect of my work and try something new. I had already been producing still life in watercolor and wanted simply to see how using watercolor on a small scale would affect the images. The result was, instead of bold imagery, more delicate paintings.
Please tell us about the origins of your painting series ’Linda’ and ‘Binary’.
These were both very experimental series to produce. The ‘Linda’ series saw mixed white backgrounds for the first time in my work. Small amounts of pigment are added to the white to result in subtle background colors. I had been looking at the work of De Wain Valentine at the time and I wanted to see if I could add an effect of almost nonexistent color to the canvas. The way the pigments seem to fade away in Valentine’s work.
For the ‘Binary’ series I was honestly trying to achieve some sort of awkwardness on the canvas. I have never been interested in making a ‘perfect’ or ‘attractive’ painting, for me that is not what is important about working in paint. It’s about challenging yourself and the viewer. The paintings in the series are combined imagery paintings, two figurative forms contained on the same canvas. The forms meet but not necessarily in an esthetically pleasing way.
You have a growing portfolio. Is there one particular work you are connected to?
I plan work a few years ahead of time and I am constantly looking at my own work, to see what I can either improve on or maybe there are ideas I can further delve into. My work is to me is constantly changing and growing. To pick one painting is a difficult task but I may have to choose ‘Binary 030’, a painting currently represented by Helwaser gallery on Madison Ave. It is a great representation of how my work can be obviously experimental.
Congratulations on your achievements to date. Your many accolades include an International Art Market’s Gold List award, winning an Artness Magazine cover competition, and a Special Recognition Award issued by Light Space-Time. To date, what has been your most satisfying achievement as an artist, and why?
I think it definitely has to be my first New York solo show at Helwaser gallery last year. To exhibit in such a prestigious gallery in the heart of the art world was something very special for me. I first visited New York City when I started my formal education in art, I stayed in the city for a summer after I graduated. To exhibit in a city that I have so much respect for was an opportunity I was very grateful for.
Whilst you’re represented by notable galleries, you’re evidently aware of self-promotion and the need to be savvy with developing your practice and selling your art. What’s your viewpoint on new and emergent mediums, such as NFTs, for showcasing your art?
I think in a lot of ways I am very old-fashioned when it comes to my art practice. I am very active on LinkedIn but that is as far as I will go, I do not like distractions from my studio work. I am very much a Fine Artist, someone who enjoys it when work sells but someone who does not produce work just for sales. I am lucky to have great representation in New York and London so I can focus on producing work that is relevant.
What are you currently working on?
Coinciding with the Sw16 watercolors series is the current Sw16 series on large-scale canvas. I am currently completing my tenth painting in the series of what could possibly be a very large series when it is complete. I am hoping the series will run for the next few years while working on other projects. The series represents the bolder side of using the initial fifty preliminary drawings used for the watercolor series. The paintings have a high impact when hung.
Where can our readers find out more about you?
The best way to keep up to date with my work is LinkedIn. I post each month to showcase new work and post when I receive awards or complete commissions. The profile page consists of all my past and current artist information. I am always happy to receive messages or requests regarding my paintings.
Featured images, courtesy of the artist.
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