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Sarah Emerson is an artist based in Atlanta, Georgia. Her paintings and installations present viewers with highly stylized versions of nature that combine geometric patterns and mythic archetypes to examine contemporary landscape. She uses the camouflage of beautiful colors combined with a deliberate composition to explore themes that reflect on the fragility of life, the futility of earthly pleasures, and the disintegration of our natural landscape.
Emerson graduated from the Atlanta College of Art in 1998 and she completed her Masters Degree at Goldsmiths College, London in 2000. She has exhibited her work in galleries throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe, including White Columns, New York, Cosmic Gallery (Cargnel Bugada), Paris, the Musee de la Civilisation, Quebec, Canada, Mirus Gallery, San Francisco, Ca., the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, Fl. and the High Museum in Atlanta, GA. Her work has been published in Noplaceness: Art in a Post Urban Landscape, Stickers Deluxe: From Punk Rock to Contemporary Art, and New American Paintings in 2012, 2007, and 2003. In 2014 she was awarded the 2015 MOCA GA Working Artist Project Grant selected by Siri Engberg, Senior Curator of Visual Arts at the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis. Emerson was the 2014/15 Kirk Visiting Artist Fellow at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. She currently teaches at Agnes Scott College, Decatur, GA.
Education
2000 Master of Fine Art (Distinction) Goldsmiths College, London England
1998 Bachelor of Fine Art Atlanta College of Art, Atlanta GA
1997 Mobility Student School of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston MA
Professional Experience
2008 – Present
Lecturer of Painting and Drawing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
2010
Lecturer of Painting and Drawing, Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA
Solo Exhibitions
2019
O Smithereens!, Whitespace Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2015-16
The Unbearable Flatness of Being, MOCA GA, Atlanta, GA
2012
Underland Whitespace Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2011
Black Garden Moon Gallery, Berry College, Mount Berry, GA 2009
Soft Trap Whitespace Gallery, Atlanta, GA
2007
The Dark Side SLM Projects, Roswell, GA
The End is Near Screen Arts, St. Augustine, FL
2005
Big Darkness Bartlett Gallery, Provincetown MA
The Moon is Down Metaphor Contemporary Art, Brooklyn NY
2004
Cosmic Galerie with Vidya Gastaldon and Maria Marshall, Paris France
Soft Mast part of the artist series Don’t Trust Anyone Over Thirty, Real Art Ways, Hartford CT
2003
Do the Collapse Thomas Erben Gallery, New York NY
1997
Bobbing for Water Old Highland Bakery, Atlanta GA
1996
Funnel Vision Vantosh Gallery, Atlanta GA
Group Exhibitions
2008
All that Glitters Swan Coach House, Atlanta, GA
The Possibility of Framing Infinity Agnes Scott College, Atlanta, GA
2007
Holiday Greetings from 10 Artsist AG Gallery, Brooklyn, NY
Innovations, Gallery walk at Terminus, Atlanta, GA
Little Things Mean A Lot Swan Coach House, Atlanta, GA
Dead Flowers Eyedrum, Atlanta, GA
Mason Murer Fine Art, Atlanta, GA
Keep Abreast Screen Arts, St. Augustine, FL
Innovations Gallery walk at Terminus, Atlanta, GA
Language Spruill Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Paper, Fire, and Light Spruill Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Talent Show Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, Atlanta, GA
New Eden Tastes Like Chicken Art Space, Brooklyn, NY
The No Name Show SLM Projects, Roswell, GA
Suckers & Biters: Love, Lollipops, and the Exquisite Corpse Ad Hoc Art, Brooklyn, NY
2006
Mischief Metaphor Contemporary Art, Brooklyn, NY
Paradise Lost Frederieke Taylor Gallery, New York NY
2005
Post Notes curated by Adam Carr, ICA London, UK
the Real Party Real Art Ways, Hartford CT
2004
Enchantment Art Space, New Haven, CT
East of the Sun and West of the Moon White Columns, New York NY
2003
Young Generations Tache-Levy Gallery, Brussels Belgium
2002
Boys and Girls A Priori Presents, London England
Core Creative Alliance, Baltimore MD
New American Talent 17 curated by Kathryn Kanjo, Jones Center for Contemporary Art, Austin, TX
The Big Picture III Baltimore Museum of Contemporary Art, Baltimore MD “Twenty-Eight” The Whole Gallery, Baltimore, MD
Substatic Thomas Erben Gallery, New York, NY
2001
The Tender Trap London House, London England
Hi Kickin Hi Falutin’” VTO Gallery, London England
Cream Howell Mill, Atlanta GA
Glamourhammer Beckett Boxing Ring, London England
Insider Trading Mandeville Hotel, London England
2000
Assembly, Stepney City, London England
MA Degree Show Goldsmiths College, London England
Juicy Project Space, London England
1999
Valentine Old Highland Bakery, Atlanta GA
1998
Alexandria Museum of Art, Juror, Jerry Cullum, Alexandria, LA
Dana Pond Awards in Painting” School of the Museum of Fine Art, Boston, MA
19th Annual Arts on the River” SCAD Juror, Holly Solomon, Savannah, GA
LaGrange National XX Biennial” Juror Siri J. Engberg, LaGarange Museum, LaGrange, GA
A Journey Into Lifestyle, Eroticism, and Imagery” Old Lake Claire Baptist Church, Alternative Space, Atlanta, GA
1997
“Drawing and Printmaking” Colony Square, Atlanta, GA
“The November Project” Old Lake Claire Baptist Church, Alternative Space, Atlanta GA
“ACA Juried Show” Juror J. Fleming, ACA Gallery, Atlanta, GA
“The Really, Really Small Painting Exhibition” ACA Gallery 100 Jurors Marcia Cohen, Tom Francis, Anthony Greco, Atlanta, GA
“Degrees of Excellence” ACA Gallery, Colony Square, Atlanta, GA
Arts and Crafts Council, Juror Alan Hing, Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA
1996
Printmaking Exhibition, Juror Norman Wagner, Bellaluna, Atlanta, GA
Group Show, ACA Gallery 100, Atlanta, GA
200×200 New Visions Gallery, Atlanta, GA
1995
Now Here-Outdoor Installation Autrey Mill, Alpharetta, GA
1994
ACA Juried Show Juror Chris Scoates, ACA Gallery, Atlanta, GA
Awards
2007
Forward Arts Foundation Emerging Artist Award
2000
Warden’s Purchase Prize, Goldsmiths College
1998
Honorable Mention, Arts on the River, Savannah College of Art and Design
1996
CGR Scholarship, Dragon Foundation Atlanta College of Art
Reviews and Press
“Artspeak Interview with Lilly Lampe for Burnaway Magazine” AM Radio 1690, March 2012
Artist Profile by Caroline Cox, Jezebel Magazine, 2012
New American Paintings, Southeastern Edition, curated by Michael Rooks, 2012
Atlanta Art Now: NOPLACENESS, Biennial book series from Atlanta Art Now, Nov 2011
“Under the Influence” by Felicia Feaster, Creative Loafing, Feb. 3-9, 2011 Vo.39, #40
“Review: Herron’s Curious and Curiouser” by Joe Williams, Nuvo, Jan. 24, 2011 Catalogue
“Catastrophe’ curated by Sylvie Fortin, Manif’d’Art 5 Quebec City Biennial, 2010
“Manif 5: implosion ou explosion?” by Nadia Ross, Le Soleil Quebec City Canada, May 8, 2010
“The Birds and Some Bees” A Study of Objects at Swan Coach House Gallery” by Catherine Fox, Atlanta Journal-Constitution January 22, 2010
“Six Degrees of Susan Bridges” by Felicia Feaster, The Atlantan December 2009
“Sarah Emerson” review by Felicia Feaster, Art Papers November/December 2009
“A World Awry: Sarah Emerson and Jeff Grant” by Catherine Fox, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, September 25, 2009
“Shortlist” by Sarah Bakhtian, Creative Loafing, September 2-8, 2009
“Simmering with Promise” by Catherine Fox, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Feb 13, 2009
“Wood, Canvas, and Clay at the Arts Company” by Joe Nolan, The Scene December 10, 2008
Catalogue, Art by the Emory Visual Arts Faculty, December 2008
“Art and Cankles: Interview with the lovely Sarah Emerson” by Whitney Stansell, Nov 13. 2008
“The Radar Art” by Felicia Feaster, The Atlantan, July 2008, pp. 46-50
“The Possibility of Framing Infinity” review by Diana McClintock, Art Papers May/June 2008
“Razzle Dazzle” by Felicia Feaster, Creative Loafing, March 19-25, 2008
“Woodland Melancholy” by Felicia Feaster, Creative Loafing Online December 14, 2007
“Happy Blendings” Metropolitan Home, December 2007, p. 116
“To Keep Abreast” by Paulette Perhach & Ashley Gallam, Drift Magazine Oct 2007 Ed 002 p. 35
“Stylish paint-by-numbers” by Jerry Cullum, Atlanta Journal Constitution October 4, 2007
Catalogue Spruill Gallery, “Language” September 2007
New American Paintings, Southeast Edition, curated by Charlotta Kotik June 2007
“Q&A/ Stuart Horodner” by Kirsten Tagami Atlanta Journal Constitution June 6, 2007
“In the Gallery” Folio Weekly Jacksonville, FL, February 27, 2007
“The Darker Side of Sweet” by Denise Markonish Real Art Ways Publications 2005
“Fractured Fairy Tales” by Judy Birke, New Haven Register December 5, 2004
“Enchant Terribles” by Meral Agish, The New Haven Advocate November 25, 2004
“For Three Young Artists, a Search for the Spiritual” by Benjamin Gonacchio, New York Times, CT Sunday March 28, 2004
“May Picks” by Christopher Chambers NY Arts Magazine Vol 8, No 5, May 2003, p 55
Centrefold Scrapbook, 60 unique books-One different collaborative drawing done in each book, drawings done in collaboration with Diann Bauer and Nicole Urbanic-Lichf, 2003
New American Paintings Northeast Edition, curated by Charlotta Kotik February 2003
“ Short List” M-The New York Art World, Art Reviews by Lily Faust, March 2002, pp 14-15
“The Front” Shout, February 2002, p 11
“Erotica” by Lea Keel Creative Loafing March 28, 2001
“Whipped Cream” by Cathy Byrd Creative Loafing March 28, 2001
Catalogue, Assembly Exhibition 2000
Catalogue, Goldsmiths College 2000
Catalogue, Alexandria Museum of Art, 1998
“Look Back, Get Down” by Cathy Byrd Creative Loafing Jan 3, 1998
The Scene Feb 21 1998
“Praying for Sheetrock” by Cathy Byrd Creative Loafing November 22, 1997
“Learning Curve” by Donald Locke Creative Loafing December 27, 1997
“Women’s Work” by Cathy Byrd Creative Loafing December 28, 1996
Collections
apriori, London England
Atlanta College of Art, Georgia
Graham Beck, South Africa
Carmine Boccuzzi and Bernard Lumpkin, New York
Steven Butz, New York
Claudia Cargnel and Fred Bugada, Paris France
Wesley Eder, Tennessee
Financial Times, FT.com, London England
Goldsmiths College, London England
King and Spalding, Georgia
Dorothy Lanier, New York
Sara Moore, New York
Progressive Corporation, Ohio
Ruth West, Georgia