Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Jean Cheney.
Emily Jean, we’d love to hear your story and how you got to where you are today both personally and as an artist.
I didn’t always want to be an artist, it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I figured out I needed to do this. Art is what makes me happy, almost as much as working cattle. That’s right I’m a very small time rancher on the side! Raising cattle was my first love, then I figured out that I could paint them and I haven’t stopped yet.
We’d love to hear more about your art. What do you do and why and what do you hope others will take away from your work?
I like to dabble in a little bit of everything. I paint my cows, create abstracted ink paintings, make sculpture from found objects, and weld a little bit. My paintings are rather straight forward and my sculptures are quirky. Majority of my works focus on animals or nature. Besides the outdoors, Cabinets of Curiosities (like the one at the Houston Museum of Natural History) are another place I draw my inspiration from. I love being outside and collecting things I find out there to incorporate into my works. Most of what I find are animal bones, and my favorite so far is a mummified catfish that I’m currently working with. So, my hope is that people find a weird beauty in these things like I do, or at least create some spark of curiosity.
The sterotype of a starving artist scares away many potentially talented artists from pursuing art – any advice or thoughts about how to deal with the financial concerns an aspiring artist might be concerned about?
Oh gosh, that’s a tough one. I’m not sure I’m the one you’d want advice from, haha. I always hit Hobby Lobby or Michael’s when they have sales going on, or at least for sure use the coupons available. But I’ve been extremely blessed with a family that not only supports my decision to follow an art career but willing to help me exceed in it by buying me supplies for birthday’s or Christmas.
Do you have any events or exhibitions coming up? Where would one go to see more of your work? How can people support you and your artwork?
I have an art Instagram account, @emily_cheney_art and I try to update it regularly. I currently have a studio at Houston Baptist University, I am an MFA candidate, and I always encourage people to drop by when we’re having our Gallery Openings that can be found on either the university’s website or the “Art at HBU” Facebook page. Also in April on the 25th I will be in a Thesis Show at Houston Baptist University, this May I am graduating with my Masters in Fine Arts degree. I also have an Etsy shop that occasionally I will have things on, www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyCheneyArt .
Contact Info:
- Email: cheneyej308@hotmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emily_cheney_art/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilycheneyart/
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