Emily Kell is not only a creative, visionary figurative artist who interweaves her own language of poetry within her balanced artwork, but she has a keen eye for all things abstract and mystical, too. As your eyes gently scan vibrant, soothing oil artwork mediums and paintings that tell stories of feminine archetypes and bodies–in all colours and sizes–you will notice bursts of cosmos, galaxies, stars, and deep shades of blues, purples, and reds. Kell is best known for painting galaxies of visions detailed with delighted cosmic wonder that bridges the gap between planet Earth, its inhabitants, and the stellar cosmos.
I have always been drawn to the mystical realms and the wild beauty of nature…
Within Kell’s contemporary figurative artwork, you find traits of sisterhood, primal instinctive visions, transformative motherhood, many forms of elegant powerful goddesses, and natural human forms that encompass not only the physical world but also the mystics. Inspired by the lunar phases and vibrant colours that surround us, this figurative surrealist artist creates the perfect balance of symbolism and representative figurative art.
You can find her dreamy artwork hanging all over the world – ranging from galleries, festivals, murals, next to easels for collaborations, offices, kitchen walls, dining rooms, tapestries, and many more global areas.
Artwork With Textures And Dreamy Spaces
Encoded with this cosmic queen’s secret poetic language that is harmonious with rhythms and soft spoken dialects, each painting is more than a piece of art; each creation – such as a painting and illustration – tells a story about the subjects, who are usually multicultural women painted in beautiful raw forms with natural pigments, skin tones, luscious curves, and intuitive elements that form these ambient dreamy landscapes filled with wonder, connection, and humility.
Behind Galaxy Eyes
Carried by the wind, a breath of stardust transcripted with ancient symbols and cryptic language travels along in this painting called Cosmic Whispers, which is filled with aquatic deep blues and moody cool tones that speak to those who have a strong desire for colourful bursts, nature, elegance, poetic language, and the female form.
Kell is inspired by the feminine qualities that are showcased all around the world: wide arrays of curvy shapes, myriads of sizes, cultures, styles, and so much more that is more than what meets the eye. Curating meaningful art is very special to Kell, and the styles she harbors through her various paintings and poems unveil marveling tones that speak to all of us. If you are looking to connect with a piece of art that will allow you to feel good in your own skin, then you will love Kell’s style as she focuses on the inner beauty of everything and everyone around her.
Exclusive Interview with Emily Kell
Based on your paintings, you are drawn to femininity, the cosmos, and encrypted languages. What inspired this path of balanced artwork?
The elements that I use in my artwork came together over time. I have always been drawn to the mystical realms and the wild beauty of nature, but it took me quite a while to discover portraiture. As a highly emotional person, discovering the cathartic piece of portrait painting was what lit a fire in me to create. When I did my first self-portrait and stumbled into the profoundly therapeutic side effects of portraiture, I wanted to expand that practice.
Since then, I have used many friends as models for my paintings, and I try to share a little bit of that ritually-healing and self-reflective experience with each of them. Many of the people I paint have shared their stories with me, and I am always inspired by the ways in which all of our stories weave together. Placing the models in imagery that suggests spaces between worlds has been a fun pursuit, and I feel that gives me the opportunity to create paintings that are both personal and archetypal.
I have always loved writing as a cathartic hobby, and of course, I am very into science fiction and mythology. My whole life, I have just felt a deep excitement towards the beauty of unknown written languages.
Any favourite artists and painters?
Frida Kahlo is a huge inspiration! We share a birthday, and like her, I have also used art to support my spirit through struggles with chronic pain and health issues. I look up to Kahlo in all ways. Also, I love Hannah Yata, Shannon Danielle Taylor, Tessa Mythos, and Autumn Skye Morrison – who has been a really wonderful teacher to me.
How did your encrypted poetry language come to you? What is the process like when you weave your poetry throughout your paintings?
I have always loved writing as a cathartic hobby, and of course, I am very into science fiction and mythology. My whole life, I have just felt a deep excitement towards the beauty of unknown written languages. I thought it would be excellent fun to codify my own poems into a language for the sake of including them in my art, and just like I thought, it has been!
The language I work with is called MoonScratch, and it is possibly my most nerdy endeavor to date. While not every painting has MoonScratch in it, writing is a big part of my creative process, and at some point, it is safe to say that something has been written in the making of each painting.
The ideas and emotions become more transpersonal through finding wisdom in myths, nature, and shared stories. Once the art has been made, the cycle feels complete. The ritualistic way of unveiling things and bringing them to the surface is what inspires me the most.
Music, who could live without it? What kind of music do you listen to?
I love so many types of music! I love soul, funk, downtempo, folk, and anything with wonderful lyrics. I have a really big thing for some of the absolute worst 90s pop music and R&B as well. Lately, I have been listening to a lot of Beautiful Chorus because it is lovely to sing along with while I paint.
What is your favourite medium to paint with – oil or acrylic? What makes the biggest difference to you?
Honestly, I love both! I feel like there is an extra richness to oil paints that is gratifying and makes the paint itself more beautiful, in my eyes, but I am also grateful for acrylics for things like murals and live paintings.
How do you gain inspiration for both your poetry and paintings?
I like very old stories. I like the recurring female archetypes that pop up in very old stories, and I’m excited to attempt to keep them alive in my paintings. I also am a deep-feeling person who spends a lot of time thinking and processing, and I have formed a kind of cycle in my personal life. First, it begins with my own experience, next is a process of sketching things out, and finally, drawing them into the greater human patterns.
The ideas and emotions become more transpersonal through finding wisdom in myths, nature, and shared stories. Once the art has been made, the cycle feels complete. The ritualistic way of unveiling things and bringing them to the surface is what inspires me the most.
What is your favourite poem you have written?
I’m currently working on something that I feel pretty excited about; although, it is more of a short story than a poem. The story will most likely end up being included in my oracle deck. Besides this upcoming story, I am curating, I wrote a poem titled, “The First Hot Moon Of Summer,”, and it has brought me the most joy throughout its process.
What do you do in your spare time? Do you have any other favourite hobbies?
In this chapter of my life, I am a bit of a hermit. I spend a lot of time at home in the mountains with my dog. I love cooking, crafting, singing loudly, and talking to my plants. In general, I love the mountain-witch lifestyle. I have a few very dear friends who I go on hikes with, and I am deeply into herbs and dancing. My biggest hobby would be reading as I love myths and stories. I am always hungry for new knowledge, especially the kind that links up with very old knowledge.
You can read Emily Kell’s artist bio and statement on her website to learn all about her different forms of art and background. She loves the worlds around us and curates visionary art that is more than meets the naked eye. Subconscious realms, friends, personal connections, and spiritual journeys are only some of the things that inspire her to create.
