Emma Kenny

Emma is a contemporary painter, born and raised in London.

Predominantly a portrait artist, she finds inspiration through human experience and seeks to celebrate the beauty in humanity. 

Emma took the leap in becoming a full-time artist during the pandemic, after her job in the events industry was made redundant. Proudly self-taught, she chose not to study Art academically after A Level, but never stopped painting and took on portrait commissions throughout her previous career.

Although her early work almost solely comprises of celebrity portraiture, particularly musicians, in more recent years her portfolio is vast and varied in subject matter and style. 

She uses a mixture of unconventional, abrupt and spontaneous painting techniques, often revealing the physicality of the process in the final piece, as well as adopting a more intricate approach to create that beautiful contrast between harmony and chaos.

Always one to thrive on larger scales, in 2022 Emma began painting murals. Within a few months she was approached by a premier league football player to paint his own gym with portraits of himself; combining her two practices at the time. She was then approached for a similar project, in the south of France, and spent over 5 weeks painting 7 life size portraits of one player in different football kits.

Emma’s work has been exhibited in Gallery 31 during Cannes Film Festival, at Boomer Gallery in London Bridge, as well as her own solo exhibition at Deptford Does Art. Her large social media following reflects on her international reach; having sold paintings to over 20 countries worldwide.

Her most recent collection, ‘Lenscapes’, is an explosion of energy, designed to inspire and captivate, through a vivid and evocative lens.

Each piece reveals a woman reflecting on sun-drenched landscapes, full of adventurous spirit, desired dreams and youthful longing. This new series retains her liberal use of texture, vibrancy and layering techniques; creating tactile and evocative portraits.

Emma strives to squeeze the most out of her time, maintaining a zest for life that is clear in her eclectic set of interests/hobbies outside of the studio; mirroring the consistent theme of celebration weaving through her artwork. Her eagerness to learn is clearly reflected in her fast-paced and varied career in the industry so far. 

Above all else, Emma’s work is set out to inspire and spark joy.