Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Anderson.
Hi Emily, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I’m a fine artist working primarily in oils, currently focusing on portraiture and figurative work along with the occasional plein air outing. I teach small groups of teens and adults from my home studio in Chatham County, NC. Sharing my passion for learning while strengthening the local creative community has been incredibly rewarding. It is a magical moment when a student catches on to a concept then applies it to their work, bringing it to a new level of artistic craftsmanship, And of course, I’m also learning from my students. I like to think of the studio classes as a time for deep learning and a safe space for experimentation. Part of my role as a teacher is to coach students through the frustrating moments and celebrate the successes. Tenacity always pays off, even if it is just showing up once a week to make art for two hours. I often compare our art practices to sports; the practice and drills aren’t always fun, but we know it will make us better players. That’s not to say we don’t have fun in class! Students choose their own projects, as I’ve found the best learning happens when a student is passionate about what they are doing, but I won’t hesitate to suggest exercises to help them meet their goals. Details and class times can be found on my website here: https://www.emilyandersonart.com/art-lessons.
I have drawn since childhood, taking art classes through middle and high school, both after school and through the public school system, including a summer program through Otis Parsons in Los Angeles, after which I completed a degree in Studio Arts from Rutgers University. My first job after college was with the design department of a wallpaper manufacturing company where I gained substantial experience with composition and color. Throughout a career and early family life, I maintained a personal practice, producing large-scale works and earning awards in local juried exhibitions.
I’m excited to continue work in 2026 on my “100 Portraits Project” while becoming more active with Oil Painters of America and the Portrait Society of America, from which I was recently awarded 8th place out of over 1000 entries in their Members Only Juried Show in the Non-Commissioned Portrait category. I’m still figuring out where I want this journey to take me, but for now, I’ll just continue working hard and enjoy the ride!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road, nor has it been linear. From 2014 to 2022 I stepped away from active pursuit of personal artistic goals to focus on raising children. Oil painting demands sustained concentration that felt incompatible with divided attention; I chose family over studio time. Since 2023 I have reclaimed the necessary space and energy, recommitting to personal technical and conceptual growth and starting a teaching practice from my home studio. Teaching has become a vital catalyst: articulating foundational principles for students continually reframes and enriches my own work.
Balancing family and professional life is a constant challenge. My husband Keith and I have two children, ages 22 and 17, and nothing is more important to me than spending time with them and being their mom, which often means I choose to put my painting work to the side. This can make progress toward my professional goals seem slow at times, especially in comparison to artists I follow on social media, but I truly believe that steady work will bring progress at a pace that is just right for me. When I trust myself with the process, I’ve found that plenty of opportunities do present themselves, so it is important to constantly reevaluate my goals to align with the bigger picture of life, including my roles as artist, mother, wife, daughter, and friend. Balancing all of those aspects of self is my foundation to truly feeling successful and fulfilled.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have a profound passion for capturing the human spirit through portraiture with a focus on oil painting. I aim to connect viewers not merely with a realistic depiction, but with a true reflection of the subject’s unique identity. The magical process of bringing a portrait to life with light and color continually inspires and fuels my artistic pursuits. Each portrait I undertake is a unique adventure and challenge, keeping the art of portraiture exhilarating and deeply rewarding for me. As an eternal student of my craft, I’m honored to teach teens and adults from my home studio, sharing my passion for learning while strengthening the local creative community.
I’m currently in the process of completing a “100 Portraits Project”, painting portraits from 4 hour live sittings with local models. For most of my career, I’ve worked exclusively from photographs, staging photo shoots based on an initial conception. A few years ago, I felt the need to round out my practice by working from life, be it portraiture, landscape, or still life, in order to capture the nuances of vision that a photograph can’t. The camera makes decisions regarding value, color, and focus that don’t necessarily align with the act of human vision, each artist having their own unique way of translating their personal, and always changing, act of vision. I often rely on photographs to finish a piece, so constantly find myself thinking “That’s not what I saw!”, at which point I need to be very careful not to destroy the work done from life by attempting to match the photos. I’m learning to be ok with not having a slick “finished” piece, focusing instead on a painted documentation of the process, trusting my decisions and leaving them be. My end goal is to capture an accurate likeness of the model in the allotted 4 hours. One year in, I’ve finished 54 portraits which can be seen on Instagram @emilyandersonart or my website www.EmilyAndersonArt.com. I’ll finish up the series by the end of 2026 at which point I hope to find a gallery space to show the work. In the meantime, I’m looking for 40 more volunteer models to pose for 4 hour sessions in my studio. If you’ve ever been interested in having your portrait painted, this is your opportunity! Most people find it to be a relaxing and enjoyable experience, after which I’ll send you a digital image of the finished piece. If interested, I’d love to give you more information! I can be reached at kandeanderson@gmail.com.
In between portrait sittings, I enjoy getting outside for plein air painting. The changing light and unpredictable weather are challenges I don’t face in studio work, so I always walk away having learned something new. It’s also a great way to meet local artists and enjoy some camaraderie outside the studio.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Studying with professional artist Grace Graupe-Pillard in New Jersey was the catalyst to get me back to the easel after starting a family. Her mentorship gave me the structure to re-start a studio practice and the confidence to start entering my work into shows. Recently, with the assistance of the Ella Fountain Pratt Emerging Artist Grant from the Durham Arts Council, I’ve studied with artists Ricky Mujica, Sandra Sanchez, and Max Ginsburg.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emilyandersonart.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilyandersonart?igsh=MXF0eXoybGMwZmE1&utm_source=qr
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EmilyAnnAnderson
