ARTIST BIO

Emma Kenny is a British contemporary artist, born and raised in London.

Predominantly a figurative painter, her expressive oil portraits evolve through a free-flowing, spontaneous process. Seeking to celebrate the beauty in humanity, Emma brings movement and texture to her work, allowing bold, intuitive marks to sit alongside more intricate detail.

Emma became a full-time artist during the pandemic. Self-taught, she embraces unconventional painting techniques and often leaves the physicality of the process visible in the finished piece. That interplay between harmony and chaos runs throughout her work.

Drawn to larger scales, Emma began painting murals in 2022 and has since created custom art for clients, ranging from premier league football players to global hospitality groups.

Celebration has always been at the heart of Emma’s paintings. Her Lenscapes series explored escapism through portraits and reflected landscapes, whilst retaining her liberal use of texture and vibrancy. More recently, her work has become an 'ode to the unserious': figurative paintings inspired by friends, festivals, fancy dress and the wonder of clowning around.

Whether painting a fleeting moment of silliness or something more quietly reflective, Emma is interested in the freedom people find when they let their guard down. She takes joy seriously — and hopes her paintings give others permission to do the same.