Six Foot Gallery is delighted to present its annual Summer Show, featuring thirty-four artists working in a diverse range of mediums and disciplines.

Emma Shen is a Chinese visual artist currently resident in Edinburgh, Scotland. Growing up in Shanghai, China, during a period of rapid development and cultural fusion, she was deeply inspired by the blend of Eastern and Western influences in the city. She later moved to New York to study art. She has collaborated with Disney, BBDO, FCB, Ogilvy and other prominent agencies in advertising.

Emma aims to capture the essence of emotions and imagination on the canvas. Utilising both traditional and digital tools, she uses luminescent colors and creative compositions to unveil unique perspectives on the ordinary. Emma’s illustrations, installations, and paintings are regularly showcased in exhibitions and commercial events internationally. Her work is a testament to the boundless possibilities of imagination and the ability to transform the mundane into captivating visual narratives.

Hi Emma! How did your artistic journey start?
My artistic journey started when I was a freshman in college in New York. I was studying filmmaking when a friend dragged me to a drawing class, and I ended up taking more classes in sculpture, painting, and printmaking and eventually decided to do an art major alongside my filmmaking when I realised all art forms are interconnected.

How did you arrive at the theme of your work?
Sometimes I’m very driven by my emotions evoked by life events or by music or literature. I experience synesthesia with some pieces of classical music and I see some colors and shapes that I then develop into visual stories. Other times ideas seem to come out of nowhere and get stuck in my head and just won’t go away until I do something about it. Like I was extremely obsessed with apple trees when I created my apple tree piece. I have to say I do not even like apples, and I knew nothing about apple trees and had no connections to them. It just came out of nowhere.

Can you walk us through your creative process?
My creative process typically begins with observation and reflection. I take long walks in nature and the city, drawing inspiration from the world around me. I then experiment with various mediums, such as painting, photography, and performance art, to convey my ideas. Each piece evolves organically, often leading me in unexpected directions.

How has your practice changed over time?
I work in branding and advertising a lot and I was used to working digitally for a few years before I returned to painting on canvases and rediscovered the joy and satisfaction of working with physical paint. Now, I divide my time between digital and traditional mediums.

How do you know when a piece is complete?
I’ve often pondered this question, and through practice, I’ve found that my painting professor’s advice rings true: “You’ll know when you’re there.”

Which artists inspire you? Are there non-artistic influences such as literature or music that impact your work?
I’m greatly inspired by Marc Chagall, Vincent Van Gogh, and Philip Guston. Their compelling life stories and distinctive styles inspire me both as an artist and as a person. I am also hugely inspired by classical music, as a musician with a deep interest in the history and theory of Western music, I find classical music’s abstract nature particularly intuitive for expressing and communicating emotions.

What advice would you give to artists who are just starting out?
Don’t give up.

You can find out more about Emma and her work on her Instagram or her website. Our Summer Open Call Exhibition runs at Six Foot Gallery until Friday 23rd August.