Interview with Emily Moores
About the Juror:
Emily Moores is the incredible visual artist who will be jurying the 2022 Fine Art Student Exhibition. Her work has been exhibited regionally and nationally.
Moores received her BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and her MFA from the University of Cincinnati. She was selected as one of the Women to Watch 2020 by the Ohio's Art Council's Riffe Gallery in collaboration with the Ohio Advisory Group of the National Museum of Women in the Arts.
She creates multi-media large scale installations and wall works. Here is a view of some of her work and an interview about her life and artistic insights.
In her words:
Where are you from and how does that affect your work?
“I am originally from Cincinnati. After living in Cleveland and Austin, TX, I moved back to my hometown. Instead of buying into a mythology that says that I have to live in a certain place or live a certain lifestyle, I moved back to be closer to my family. I want to be present with the important people in my life. This influences my work. With installation, the artwork is temporary and often looks completely different in a new location. Viewers have to be present and in the physical location to fully view the work.”
Where do you find Inspiration?
“I find inspiration in my children. The way they pay attention to little details like leaves and rocks. They are excited to explore. This has helped me explore and try new color combinations and patterns.”
How has your style changed over time?
“I graduated from graduate school in 2014. At this time, I made artwork that was void of color. I had anxiety about using color because I felt afraid that I wouldn't be able to explain it. Over the years, I have lost that anxiety to be perfect and really start to enjoy making artwork.”
What are your techniques for overcoming creative blocks?
“I think that everyone should ask where their creative blocks come from. For me, it was anxiety about not being good enough. I had to ask myself 'where did this expectation of what is good enough come from?' It was outside pressure on what an artist needs to be to be taken 'seriously.' Many millennial women and older were either told or implied that being a mother meant you were not serious about being an artist. Motherhood was seen as a lack of commitment. This is a lie, and it is a mentality that removes an entire demographic and perspective from the artworld. The concept of who is a real artist comes from Patriarchy and White Supremacy. Realizing that my anxiety came from bullshit helped me let go.”
What makes you an effective juror and how do you judge others art?
“I won't be judging based on perfection, but emotion and feeling. I will be looking for artwork that draws me into something intriguing.”
