Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Galusha.
Emily, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I grew up in a creative environment, my mother an artist & art teacher, and father a “medicine man”, both highly supportive of my creative endeavors. My two brothers are artists and film editors, further engulfing my everyday with creative processes. In my adult life, I have experienced a range of encounters, from worldly adventures to difficult relationships, that equally influence my expression.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
Currently, I am based in Austin, Texas, where I work as Creative Manager for a locally-based company as well as a freelance designer but spend the bulk of my time creating work for one of my three series: The Pistols, Animal Dreams, and Undercurrents. My friend and fellow artist, Guy Bell, put it well … “Armed with her lauded background in graphic design and a keen eye for antiques, she dexterously blends artistic traditions and media using graphite, paint, and objects from both her personal and the region’s distant past. Drawing her guns against (pun intended) ethereal backgrounds of tonal variations, affixed objects and distressed wood.” [Guy Bell, Gallery Owner, Artist]. One of my preferred media is the combination of graphite with an added antique or textural element, such as clippings from an issue of 1917 The Household.
I began creating mixed media work nearly two decades ago, with the intention of presenting the feel of my family history – a history inspired by elements I grew up around, as well as stories shared by family members. My artwork has since been largely influenced by travel, as well as seeking and delving into the subconscious. Each place I visit seems to leave its own mark. Alongside daily experience I begin to gather my own collective = my history.
The series of handguns have become everything from portraits to vessels for expelling emotion. The mechanical feel of the gun is most often counterbalanced with an organic element, such as botanical matter, bumblebees or a wooden antique sewing machine drawer. The harmony between the masculine and feminine tends to represent my own inner dialogue.
Most of the collection contains an antiquity or an element of nature. Taking aged magazine clippings or a vintage baby gown and adding a contemporary illustration helps communicate the relationship of past with present. In finding a balance between the mechanic and the organic, the masculine and the feminine, the contemporary and the historic, I dive into a personal narrative.
How do you think about success, as an artist, and what do quality do you feel is most helpful?
“Success”, as it pertains to my creative self, is creating authentically, prolifically, and with quality. If I am happy with my day, and I have lived it with realness, appreciation and care, then I am successful. I may consider a fully-packed, productive day just as successful as a day where I have done absolutely nothing.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
Currently, I have work up at Flatbed Press & Gallery as well as Camiba Gallery on 6th Street, both located in East Austin. I also have a body of work hanging at M2 Gallery in Little Rock, Arkansas. My studio is at Canopy in East Austin.
People can support my work by giving me honest feedback. I also have work for sale, which helps support financially (so I can make more work). I am open to discussing my artwork and value the perspective of others.
Contact Info:
- Website: emilygalusha.com
- Email: eegcreative@gmail.com
- Instagram: @eegcreative
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/emilygalushacreative
Image Credit:
All artwork imagery created by and belongs to Emily Galusha
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