29.05.2022

What We Share

Mothers.
Our first source of love, influence, friendship and inspiration.
This Mother’s day we would like to tell the story of a shared passion, from Mother to daughter, and back full circle to Mother again.

1. How did your career as an artist and your business Emily Victoria Art begin?

Emily: I have been into art from an early age. I come from a creative family and my Mother, who is a mosaicist and painter herself, always encouraged me to draw and paint as a child. Over the years, I have spent a lot of time in France, Spain and the Balearic Islands, and have lived in Sydney and Barcelona. This is where my attachment to the sea come from.

When the pandemic hit I moved back home from Sydney to the UK and began to paint consistently. I had so much time to explore my creativity and was oozing with inspiration from being by the ocean for the last few years. I was painting and drawing every day and started uploading my work to my Instagram. That’s when I realised other people liked it. They wanted to buy my work and I couldn’t paint fast enough! Before long I had created a website and had even started taking commissions.

2. How has your Mom inspired your
passion for art?

Emily: My Mother is the most creative person I know.

Juliet: I’ve always loved creating. My father was an amazing professional photographer and sculptor and my parents both loved and appreciated art.

Emily: Growing up we were lucky enough to have an art room in the house where Mum and I would create together.

Juliet: It was the room where you were allowed to make a mess, paint, experiment, or whatever took your fancy!

Emily: If we went on holiday she always made sure to bring art supplies with us! I suppose she recognised that, like her, I had a big creative streak in me, so she constantly made sure I was inspired and encouraged me in anything creative.

Juliet: Emily clearly had an aptitude and interest from a young age so it was a pleasure to encourage her and watch her flourish.

Emily: “My Mother is the most creative person I know.”
“If we went on holiday she always made sure to bring art supplies with us! I suppose she recognised that, like her, I had a big creative streak in me, so she constantly made sure I was inspired and encouraged me in anything creative.”

3. How have you inspired your mum’s
passion for art?

Emily: Growing up Mum often showed me her artwork from when she was younger. I know how talented she was so it saddened me that between raising a family and becoming a nurse she lost time for art.

Juliet: After so many years not drawing, my confidence with art dwindled. During the first lockdown, I watched with admiration as Emily launched herself into watercolour painting. She began encouraging me to get back into art, to challenge myself and to not be disappointed if every picture wasn’t perfect. I eventually signed up for an oil painting class to ease myself back into art.

Emily: As she saw and helped me on my painting journey I could tell she longed to get back into it herself and just needed some reassurance. I reminded her of her talent and how it’s all just a matter of practice.

Juliet: Her care and interest in my development has pushed me to push myself. Accepting that I don’t need to produce masterpieces every time, and that’s OK.

4. How has art brought you both closer together?

Emily: Even though now I live across the sea, we talk more than ever! My mum has such an eye, I always go to her for advice if I’m not sure about one of my pieces or lose my confidence - I call her my Creative Director!

Juliet: The bond we now share over our love of art is so special. We both enthuse over paintings and other artists that we come across.

Emily: We already had very close relationship but this shared enthusiasm we both have for art is such a special thing that unites us even more. We buzz as we talk about it together! Sharing new tips or supplies we find.

Juliet: Scrutinising each other’s work is important to us too. We will both give and accept comments, respecting each other.

Emily: When I go back home to visit we try to find time to paint together.

Juliet: We've spent memorable precious time quietly painting together. In admiration I have watched her teach herself and produce great paintings.

Emily: “Even though now I live across the sea, we talk more than ever! My mum has such an eye, I always go to her for advice if I’m not sure about one of my pieces or lose my confidence - I call her my Creative Director!”

Juliet: “We've spent memorable precious time quietly painting together. In admiration I have watched her teach herself and produce great paintings.”

5. Where do you get the
inspiration for your art?

Emily: Living by the sea for the past five years has been the source of my inspiration. I’m obsessed with golden hour light, midday heat, shadows cast by trees on coastal rocks, shallow crystal waters, and vibrant ultramarines of the deep ocean. Boats tied to their buoys, or rickety wooden jetties. I have to be out in it, living it to truly feel inspired. Constantly taking photographs and picturing compositions.

I also find Instagram an amazing source of inspiration for discovering new artists, galleries, organisations, websites, and techniques, as well as for sharing your own work and connecting with other artists and people in the industry. For my supplies, I prefer to go into the shops to see canvases, feel the paintbrush, and pick the paint colours in real life, rather than ordering online.

More articles,
BY WOMEN FOR WOMEN,
coming soon.