Interview with Emma Coyle

What initially inspired you to become an artist, and how did you develop your unique style?

Initially it was a love of making things, any process of making art interested and excited me. I have been painting for over twenty years and have produced a huge body of work throughout those years. Working consistently from one series to the next has allowed me to develop my style. Preliminary work is a huge part of my studio practice. Every painting starts from drawings and tracings. Comic book images and American Pop Art were a huge influence on me in the late 1990’s. As I continued from year to year, it is a dedication to develop and progress my work which effects my style. Line work, colour and the materials I work with change and progress the work overtime.

Can you share a specific piece of artwork that holds special significance to you and why?

Michael Heizer’s ‘City’ comes to mind. It took over fifty years to complete and is a credit to years of dedication and hard work. Art should never be about easy or quick results but a lifetime of commitment.

What initially drew you to the American Pop Art movement of the 1960s, and how has it influenced your work?

The first time I visited the Solomon Guggenheim and the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York was over twenty years ago. The selection in both museums was something I had never experienced before. The billboard sized James Rosenquist paintings in the Guggenheim, and Duane Hanson’s and Jasper Johns art at the Whitney really got me excited about art. So different from anything I had seen before growing up in Ireland.
Limitless sizes of work and colours that give real impact have always interested me. Although I have an interest in many art history movements, the first wave of American Pop Art is always something that remains intriguing to me. Over the years my colour pallet has developed, and the scale of my work has increased. As an artist I always want to be knowledgeable of what has come before but focus on progressing art.

Can you tell us more about your artistic journey and how your style has evolved over the past 20 years?

I studied in Dublin Ireland and graduated in 2003. I spent a short time in New York before moving to London in 2006 where my paintings have greatly developed. In the past I created series of paintings based on many themes, including Japanese 1920’s advertisements and 1950’s Silver Screen Hollywood movie images.
Over the past fifteen years I have chosen to use current print media advertising images as a starting point for paintings. I want my painting to represent the ‘now’ and not look nostalgic. Choosing current imagery allows me to keep the work looking fresh and bold. Each series is first developed through months of preliminary tracings and drawings of many images. Weather a series is three or thirty paintings long, a resolve must be found before the series is complete, I am always looking for a balance of images. My work is very painterly and the paintings I now work on are more deliberate.

You mentioned using contemporary fashion magazine imagery. How do you select which images to use, and what is the process of transforming them into your unique style?

The selection process is ongoing throughout each series. I am constantly collecting print magazines and currently every two to three years I take a large body of up to one hundred images to work from. I choose advertising images which are strong in form, it is the only aspect of the image I am looking for initially. From the selected images I will start to minimally trace the individual image. I will usually draw each image three time making changes, adding or subtracting lines. From then I will group a selection of images to make a series. While painting in a series and during each painting I will continually look at the selection and deduct preliminary drawings until I am happy with a complete painting series. This process can take a few years to complete.

How do you stay motivated and inspired, especially during challenging times?

Visiting art galleries and reading about art history is very important to me. Being busy making art is vital to the progression of art. Planning ahead is also very important, my studio work is planned a few years ahead of time. These plans can change but it is important to stay focused.

What advice would you give to emerging artists who are inspired by your work and want to pursue a career in art?

I would say listen to all advice but do not feel pressured to take all advice on board. At the end of the day it is your work and something you must stand by. Also, be as financially independent as you can. Support yourself no matter what. Being an artist is not about financial gain but a will to create something important.

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