NYAB Event - Emma Cleary “Artbeats”

Emma Cleary “Artbeats”

Gallery Bar

This event has ended.

As modern cultures evolve, so does the art that represents them. Often used as the window to an era, art of each time period in history has served to not only provoke the thought process of individuals during that time, but also provide great insight into the values and customs of that period for generations to follow. Today, art has become quite a subjective term and one can argue that music, fashion, graphic design, interior design, etc. are all representations of modern-day artwork.

One New York City based artist, Emma Cleary, has been able to capture the spirit of the today through her vibrant paintings that fuse the art we see around us in everyday life, fashion, popular icons and locations with a dreamlike and fleeting quality that captivates the viewer in the moment as if they too were there to observe that one transient second in time.

Born in Dublin, Ireland in 1979, Emma Cleary relocated with her family to Long Island, NY when she was 12. After enduring traditional teenage angst in the suburbs, Cleary made her escape to Manhattan upon entry to university at Parson’s – The New School for Art and Design. Focusing on her art during the day, Cleary supported her passion by working in the nightlife industry by night at some of the most exclusive nightclubs in the city. The glamour and vibrancy of the scene served as a major inspiration for her artwork and proved to be the perfect outlet to balance with her day-to-day private life as an artist and creator.

The growing popularity of “the fabulous life,” an obsession with celebrities, exclusive night spots, expensive zip codes, and beautiful people has had a tremendous impact on the colorful paintings by Cleary. As a first-hand participant in the lifestyle, she has been able to bring the viewer into the world with her, each piece serving as a tiny piece to the puzzle of what such a life is like.

“People often say to me ‘you have to choose: are you a painter or do you want to continue working in nightlife?’” Cleary explains, “I never understood why you can only be one thing. My schedule allows for me to pursue both passions, so why should I have to choose? My work at night and my work during the day make up two sides to my personality and it is my work in nightlife through the years that has served as the biggest inspiration for my art.”