Meet Emily Furr | Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Emily Furr and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Emily, how do you think about risk?
I think a form of risk-taking is being vulnerable, letting people in to see what you do and see what you care about. In my very first steps in starting my career as an artist I started regularly posting my art to Instagram. It felt nerve-wracking to put these paintings that I had put my heart and soul into on display in that way. There’s a safety in displaying galleries, people are there for the art, but putting your work online can be like the wild west. Rogue comments from strangers can be disheartening and things can be misinterpreted: how is one to really see a complex piece of art from a tiny digital square? Regardless of this, that was a huge step in getting my work out there and finding the people who really enjoy what I do. It is amazing the connections that can be made from being a little vulnerable. Risk-taking in the studio is also critical to have a thriving creative practice. I love exploring non-traditional mediums in my work like textiles or creating shaped picture planes. I use these in combination with more traditional materials like oil paint and acrylic to create something familiar and approachable, but also something that pushes the lines of what a painting is.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am an oil painter based in Charleston, South Carolina. My work centers around feelings of sentimentality, lines between safety and anxiety, and an embracing of play. My art reflects a vibrant, vivid palette that encourages curiosity and exploration creating a striking yet comfortable atmosphere in her works. My oil paintings demonstrate a unique, sculptural approach to the medium, utilizing shaped substrates that are layered and combined to methodically express my own narratives. I became a full time artist a year and a half ago, which was a big jump for me. I was working part-time at a local art store that I had learned so much from but felt like it was time to make a change. I just remember helping so many people with their projects and wishing I had more time to pursue my own. I also had started doing commissioned paintings at this time and realized that could actually make a decent income from my art, just through Instagram. Being a full time artist has had its ups and downs and has really made me realize how important my own accountability for myself is. Waking up early, keeping my own schedule and always pushing myself has been critical to making this work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We would start the morning with a honey latte from SightSee Shop. I always take my Australian shepherd, Oliver, with me to SightSee because there’s a park right across the street. I can sip my coffee and watch him play. Next stop I would head to The Gibbes Museum of Art. The Gibbes has rotating ‘artists in residence’ so you can actually talk to artists and see them create when you go. There’s always a well-curated show on display as well as their fantastic permanent collection. My favorite exhibit in the permanent collection is The Locket Room. Theres a whole room filled with historic lockets, painted with little tiny faces. After the museum we’d walk to lunch at Gaulart & Maliclet Fast and French on broad street, snagging a table on the sidewalk to people-watch. I always order a croissant with goat cheese and honey, gazpacho (a cold soup), and a glass of rose. After lunch we’d take a quick walk down Broad St. and visit The Miller Gallery to see some more art and then stop by one of my favorite shops, Mildred Newberry. Mildred Newberry has the cutest collection of gifts and trinkets and always had the best window display, changed seasonally. The owner, Anne, has impecible taste and an eye for curation. Later, for dinner, we would go to another one of my favorites: Xiao Bao Biscuit. It’s a sharable plates kind of place, so bring a friend and an appetite. I would 100% recommend the okonomiyaki (cabbage pancake). After that we head to the very cozy Bar Rollins and get some wine and olives to end the perfect day.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’d like to extend a thank-you to my big brother, Sam-Neill Furr, who has always been down to help me make something I have no idea how to make. His inventiveness, creativity, and faith in me and my artwork has been such a catalyst to furthering my practice as an artist. He always finds the time to help me out.

Website: www.emilyfurr.com

Instagram: @emily_furr