Meet Artevaggio’s Featured Artist: Emily Cameron

**In December 2015, Emily was in a fatal car accident. Although she is no longer here with us, her persistence to succeed, lovely personality and talent as an artist will remain with us forever. Thank you Emily.

When did you first realize you were an artist?
That’s a hard question. I grew up always creating and writing poetry. I did not realize it was something I wanted to pursue until much later. As a child I really loved art and spent a great deal of time in my Aunt’s studio working on little projects. I was in my first art show in 4th grade at MOCA Boulder and thought, “well hey I like this and I am good at it.” I think the moment I really realized I wanted to become an artist was shortly after I lost a dear friend of mine my senior year in high school. After that loss, I began to express myself in more thoughtful ways through visual art. I realized I had something to say and wanted to share it with people through a creative means.

Could you tell us about your work?
My work varies between mediums and techniques. I let the work and concept tell me what medium I need to use. When it comes to my paintings I am inspired by the environment, memory and the idea of residue and what is left behind. I use abstraction to depict landscapes and organic designs that are based on these ideas.

What artists have influenced your work?
My work has been influenced by so many great artists. When it comes to my paintings I have been influenced by Adam Wellborn, a local Atlanta artist, who uses bright colors and abstraction to create environments. I have also been inspired by the techniques and materials used by artists such as Colton Brown and graffiti based artists such as Swoon and Know Hope. I do not limit my idea of art to being that which hangs on a wall. It is in our everyday lives and surroundings, so I’m constantly being impacted visually.

What is your creative inspiration?
The world and my surroundings inspire me. I am very much a product of my environment and the company I keep. Everything from people, places and the small things like a shadow or a sound I hear can inspire a new idea and create a new concept. Finding influence in experiences and daily life is how I create.

What other interests do you have besides creating art?
I fill my days working as a full time freelance photographer and retoucher. I see it more as just another way to create rather than a job. I spend a great deal of free time playing sports like volleyball or riding bikes. I have a love for the culinary arts and spend time going out to new restaurants and cooking at home.

What advice would you give to a new artist?
Hmmmm. Well I would tell them to find a creative outlet that is lucrative outside of what they do creatively for themselves. Developing a creative lifestyle is very important. If you are continually enveloped by creativity it keeps your inspiration and drive going.

Could you give some advice about the business side of being an artist?
Most of my success has been through networking and keeping close contacts. I develop my life to really live in the creative world, which makes it easy to have a lot of resources. I think that it is very important to have great people in your life that have skills that you may not posess, so you can help each other on ventures and tasks.

Where do you see yourself in 10 years from now?
I hope to be where I am now, but with a greater following and more success. I hope to continue working as a freelance photographer and showing my art around the world.

CLICK HERE to go to Emily’s personal website.