Emma McHold-Burke

Emma is a multi-disciplinary artist who was born in Maryland, lived in Maine, and now makes and works in Philadelphia. They earned a BFA in Painting and Drawing and Minor in Art History from Tyler School of Art (2020).

In their work, mundane subjects such as plant life, spider webs, and rod iron fencing are drawn in the negative across various non-traditional mediums: plexi engravings, glue paintings, filet crochet, shadow boxes, etc. However, each approach presents a similar difficulty to the viewer, Emma included, as the work is abstracted by the medium itself and can only be viewed clearly in particular lighting. This viewing experience leads to a pursuit for that perfect moment where a cast shadow reveals the imagery and grants momentary relief! And yet that feeling is temporary as once the sun shifts or the lamp is turned off, the loop begins again.

Emma’s work asks them to recon with how much they can control. Despite countless of hours in the studio and tedious approaches, the work still lives beyond it’s maker! The obsessive need to replicate this cyclical experience links into their intimate understanding of grief, deep relationship with an inner core self, and knowledge that while difficult these confrontations are forever fruitful.

IG: @em_mcburke

Email: emmamcburke@gmail.com