Wither
Emma Shaw
About the Artist: Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Emma is an illustrator with a love for printmaking and hardbound sketchbooks. She received her MFA in Illustration from the Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated magna cum laude with a BFA in Studio Art and English from Gettysburg College. Notably, Emma is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and won Creative Quarterly 63 (Illustration). In August 2022, she was an artist-in-residence at Chateau d'Orquevaux.
Artist Statement: My approach to illustration is akin to that of an author. Stories are, when stripped to the barest of bones, an exploration of character and setting. I feel compelled to depict moments in which a person interacts with, and is fully immersed in, their environment. This innate human connection to familiar yet fantastical surroundings is what fuels my creative spirit. My illustrative style is both inventive and emotive, a combination that promotes connectivity, rejects exclusivity, and celebrates imaginative thinking. When I generate a new composition, I am keenly aware of the impact that growing up in Philadelphia continues to have on me as a creative individual. The city is populated with colorful, quirky, profound, striking murals that transport any passerby. Collectively, my work has a similar effect. The ability to momentarily experience someplace extraordinary is my motivation, and a newfound appreciation for where I am is often the result.