'Artists can create stories, create worlds and formulate dreams.'
We give something to society that it craves, when lost, people turn to art. Art can not exist in a vacuum and we are vital, we forget that sometimes because we are usually the outcasts, the first thing that comes under the cutting of budgets in schools or when we grow up, we are the people 'without a real job' but our existence is important and as long as there are artists, there is always beauty.
Emma Worth is a figurative artist based in Liverpool, UK. Her intricately detailed and honest work gained praise from Chuck Close, she has exhibited internationally including being shown at New York City’s Frieze Week.
Do you have a personal mantra or quote which serves to motivate you?
"Inspiration is for amateurs, the rest of us just get to work" - Chuck Close
I love the powerful work method and I very much use it within my own work. I find inspiration a somewhat romantic idea and I love it's premise but I need to make art itself to be inspired. I need to create a flow that work fuels inspiration.
Is there something you regard as essential to your preparation or process?
I always use a grid system to produce any work. You will rarely find me without a grid on any piece. I draw a grid on my reference image, then on my paper/canvas and use the grid to relay information from one to the other.
What do you hope to convey through your work?
I hope to celebrate how people in my life have impacted me. As a portrait artist, it gives me a great opportunity to build a relationship between the subject and viewer, I am hopefully able to convey that person's story through my art and create a connection with the viewer. I focus usually on eye contact from my subject, allowing the viewer to essentially sit in my seat, to feel vulnerable, exposed and connected on the most human level. I suffer with depression and the thought of exposure is terrifying so I try to tackle it head on with raw and unguarded images.
How does your work respond to social trends? Having come out as an LGBTQ+ artist, I feel I can document my interpretation of the world through my viewpoint as a Queer woman. We as women, are often sexualised within art using the female nude as an example, from a male gaze. The percentage of female artists representing their bodies within the art world is a fraction in comparison. As we fight for equality, I hope to reflect that with honesty through my work. What is your favourite/ least favourite part of the creative process? My favourite part of the process is starting a piece. The first few marks allow a kind of freedom. It's exciting and filled with possibility. I also enjoy the physicality of mixing the oil paint with Liquin, it has a romantic feel using your hands to create.
My least favourite part of the process is finishing a piece. This is my own issue with self confidence, once something is finished then it is ready for review or assessment by others. I obviously do finish my work but I definitely start a lot more than I finish. When I do finish the piece, you receive a sense of euphoria that you have achieved something.
Nature versus nurture- do you believe you have inherited abilities from creative parents, do you have creative siblings? Can you identify environmental factors or influences which led to your choices or directions? I believe it takes both to really live and breathe art. I was born with an eye for imagery and I'm not very academically minded. I very much use the right side of my brain, I was a creative child and I am still a creative adult. My parents were creative children but never carried on into adulthood. Being born with an interest won't get you far if you don't engage with it as a passion, you have to work to train your eyes, brain, hands and heart to connect. I work near enough every day and I feel guilty if I don't dedicate time towards my work.
Detail a moment which was the highlight for you, thus far. My favourite highlight of my art career so far is being part of an exhibition in New York and meeting Chuck Close. He saw my work on the wall and asked to meet me to speak about process and subject. He is a hero of mine and the very reason I paint portraits. It was an honour to meet him and it really gave me fire to up my artistic game.
Follow Emma!