Edwards, Emilia

Antzokia
Antzokia
Antzokia
Champy
Emilia Edwards was born in 1986 and grew up in Albuquerque New Mexico. An early interest in comic books and horror movies remains a strong influence in her art. Her body of work includes comic books, murals, prints and drawings. After completing a BFA at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania her comics and wall paintings have been exhibited in galleries, comic conventions and on the Internet. She is currently moving to Providence, Rhode Island to begin an MFA at Rhode Island School of Design.

Artist Statement:
My work borrows graphic elements from mainstream comics and combines this influence with painting, collage and printmaking to form experiential narratives. Printmaking, comics, and large-scale wall paintings have allowed me to combine the stark line with flat color that feeds my interest in the graphic image. II primarily use ink and brush to create fluid black lines and incorporate color using collage elements and gouache, acrylic or spray paint.  In constructing my work, I reference found images, my own photography, observation, and invented images.  Images of internal organs, cells, disease, and meat are sourced mainly from medical journals and food magazines.

Elements from my daily routine become performative studies for the major characters and events in my comics. I recently began creating large painted installations that correspond with my books. This new direction began when I started exhibiting and began to think about the relationship of image and scale. I sought to create a situation in which a larger group of people could experience my work. Wall paintings allow me to physically surround the viewer with a dynamic image to provide an intense, public experience. The image in each installation is a frozen moment: a segment, preamble, or postscript of an unseen story or event.

Currently, I am exploring the interplay between image scale and the involvement of the viewer. My newest unfinished project, a web comic, reflects my interest in using the Internet as both an interface and a distribution mechanism for two-dimensional art. The limited scale and boundless potential audience of the web offers a unique opportunity to reach viewers at a casual, immediate level.