A New Chapter for Emma's Art Writes

Over the past few years, Emma’s Art Writes has been shaped by curiosity.

What began as a small space for me to write about the art, artists, stories, and ideas that fascinated me has slowly grown into something that has followed me through different places, experiences, and chapters of my life. It has been a space where I have explored overlooked women artists, mythology and archetypes, exhibitions, literature, film, cultural history, and the emotional stories that can exist within a single work of art.

At its heart, Emma’s Art Writes has always been about following an idea wherever it might lead.

Sometimes that has meant researching the life of an artist I had only just discovered. Other times, it has meant finding connections between mythology and contemporary culture, writing about an exhibition that stayed with me long after I had left the gallery, or simply sharing something that reminded me why art continues to matter.

And now, it feels like time for a new chapter.

Welcome to a New Chapter

As Emma’s Art Writes begins this next chapter, I’m excited to expand the ways in which I share my writing, research, and experiences with you.

The subjects that have always been at the heart of Emma’s Art Writes are not going anywhere. I’ll continue exploring women in art history, mythology and symbolism, artists and exhibitions, literature, film, cultural commentary, art-inspired travel, and the unexpected ways these worlds overlap.

But I also want to create more room for the things that happen behind the finished essay: the research, discoveries, exhibitions, books, films, conversations, and small moments of inspiration that often lead to the writing in the first place.

This new chapter is about expanding Emma’s Art Writes rather than changing what it has always been.

The Blog Isn’t Going Anywhere

The original Emma’s Art Writes blog will absolutely continue.

The blog has been the home of this project for years, and it will remain an important part of everything that comes next. I’ll continue publishing two blog posts each month, exploring the wide range of subjects that have always inspired my writing.

You can expect artist biographies, stories of overlooked figures in art history, mythology and symbolism, literature and film, cultural commentary, and the unexpected connections that exist between art and the world around us.

I’m also particularly excited to begin sharing more exhibition reviews.

Over the coming months, I’ll be travelling to see a number of upcoming exhibitions, and I’m looking forward to bringing those experiences into my writing. These posts will offer a closer look at the exhibitions themselves, the artists and stories behind them, and my own reflections after spending time with the works in person.

There is something entirely different about standing in front of a work of art than seeing it reproduced on a screen or in a book. A painting can change depending on its scale, its surface, the light in the gallery, or the works that surround it. An exhibition can create connections and conversations that simply cannot always be experienced from afar.

Through these reviews, I hope to share a little of that experience with you while also providing the historical context, research, and deeper exploration that have always been at the centre of Emma’s Art Writes.

The blog will remain a home for carefully researched and considered writing: a place where I can take the time to explore a subject, follow a story, and make the connections that first inspired me to begin writing about art.

Emma’s Art Writes on Substack

Alongside the blog, I’m incredibly excited to continue building Emma’s Art Writes on Substack.

I see Substack as an opportunity to create a space that feels more personal, conversational, and immediate. Alongside longer essays and art historical explorations, I want to share more of the things that inspire my writing behind the scenes.

There are so many moments that never quite become a full blog post but are still worth sharing: an artwork I’ve discovered, a book I’m currently reading, a film that has unexpectedly reminded me of a painting, a fascinating detail from my research, or an exhibition that has left me with more questions than answers.

Substack will create room for those moments.

Rather than replacing the blog, it will expand the world of Emma’s Art Writes, creating another way to share ideas, discoveries, and conversations about art and culture.

A New Professional Chapter

This period of change is also happening alongside an exciting new chapter in my own life.

I am beginning a new job as a Gallery Representative at Gallery Merrick in Victoria, BC, Canada and stepping into a new professional role within the art world. It is an exciting opportunity to continue learning, growing, and finding new ways to bring together the things I care about most: art, artists, writing, storytelling, and connecting people with the work that inspires them.

It feels particularly meaningful that this new beginning is happening alongside the evolution of Emma’s Art Writes.

Over the years, this project has grown with me. What began as a personal creative outlet became a portfolio, a platform for my research and writing, and a way for me to find my own voice within the art world.

As I begin this new professional chapter, I’m excited to see how these experiences will continue to inform my writing and where this next stage might take Emma’s Art Writes.

Something New Is Coming This December

There is another project that I am incredibly excited to share with you.

An Emma’s Art Writes e-book is currently in the works and is set to be released this December.

This is something I have been dreaming about for quite some time. The project has grown out of years of research, writing, and the subjects that I have returned to again and again throughout my work.

Creating an e-book feels like a natural next step for Emma’s Art Writes: an opportunity to take one of the ideas that has inspired my writing and explore it in a new and more complete way.

I’m keeping some of the details under wraps for now, but I’ll be sharing more about the project as December gets closer. There will be behind-the-scenes updates, glimpses into the writing and research process, and, of course, the official announcement when it is ready to make its way into the world.

For now, I’ll simply say that I am very excited to finally be bringing this project to life.

A More In-Depth Side of Emma’s Art Writes

One of the things I’m most excited about with this new chapter on Substack is the opportunity to create a deeper experience for those who would like to follow Emma’s Art Writes even more closely.

Alongside regular free posts, I’ll be introducing a paid subscription option.

Paid subscribers will receive access to exclusive posts and more in-depth explorations of the subjects that inspire me most. These may include longer essays, deeper dives into particular artists, artworks, myths, exhibitions, and moments in art history, as well as subjects that deserve more space than a traditional blog post can sometimes provide.

I want this to be a place where I can really follow my curiosity.

Where a single painting can lead to an essay. Where an artist can lead to an entire series of posts. Where an exhibition can spark a conversation about history, literature, mythology, or contemporary culture.

It will be a space to explore ideas in greater depth and perhaps take a few more unexpected detours along the way.

The Art Diary

Perhaps the part of this new chapter that I’m most excited about is something a little more personal: my art diary.

The art diary will offer a behind-the-scenes look at life as an art writer and someone working within the art world.

Think of it as opening the pages of my notebook.

It might include thoughts from an exhibition I’ve just visited, an artwork I can’t stop thinking about, a book currently sitting beside my bed, a film that has unexpectedly reminded me of a painting, or an artist I’ve just discovered and am eager to learn more about.

There may be photographs from galleries and museums, notes from my research, travel experiences, works of art I’ve come across, and ideas that are still too unfinished to become full essays.

Some entries may be thoughtful and heavily researched. Others may simply be small moments of inspiration.

The art diary is intended to be a space for the process: the curiosity, research, discoveries, and all of the little things that happen between one finished piece of writing and the next.

I hope it will offer a more personal look behind Emma’s Art Writes and into the experiences, ideas, and moments that inspire the work I share.

Choose How You Would Like to Follow Along

Another thing I love about this new chapter is the flexibility it offers.

There will be different newsletter options, allowing you to choose how you would like to follow Emma’s Art Writes.

Whether you simply want to receive the latest blog posts and essays in your inbox, keep up with occasional updates and announcements, or become a paid subscriber for access to exclusive and more in-depth content, there will be different ways to become part of this next chapter.

I want Emma’s Art Writes to remain accessible to anyone who simply loves art and wants to learn more, while also creating something special for those who would like to dive even deeper.

Looking Ahead

At its heart, though, Emma’s Art Writes will remain what it has always been: a space guided by curiosity.

There will be stories about artists whose names deserve to be remembered. There will be mythology, symbolism, literature, and film. There will be exhibition reviews, cultural commentary, art-inspired travel, personal discoveries, and the occasional unexpected connection between a centuries-old painting and something happening in the world today.

I have always believed that art history is not distant or static.

It lives in the stories we tell. In the books we read and the films we watch. In the cities and museums we visit. In the images that stay with us long after we first encounter them.

Art gives us a way to understand history, but it also gives us a way to understand ourselves.

The blog will continue. Two new posts will be published each month. Substack will offer new ways to connect, share, and explore ideas in greater depth. There is an exciting new professional chapter ahead, exhibitions to travel to and experience, an art diary to begin, and an e-book arriving this December.

Rather than leaving anything behind, this feels like an expansion.

A chance for Emma’s Art Writes to grow into something bigger while still holding onto the curiosity and love of art that inspired me to begin in the first place.

So, here’s to a new chapter.

A continuing blog. A new home on Substack. A new professional beginning. New exhibitions and new places to explore. An e-book. New conversations. New ideas.

And, hopefully, many more stories.

Whether you have been reading Emma’s Art Writes from the beginning or have only just discovered this little corner of the art world, I am so grateful that you are here.

There is so much more to come.

Welcome to the next chapter of Emma’s Art Writes. I can’t wait to share it with you.

-Emma