Sydney NSW
Winner of the 2025 Feel Good Art Prize & placed third in 2025 Ryde Art Prize. Finalist for Northern Beaches Art Prize, Greenway Art Prize, MHFSA and Grenfell. In many group exhibitions.
Artworks: 16
Emma Kelly is an artist based on Gadigal land of the Eora Nation (Sydney, Australia).
Primarily a self-taught artist, she has completed numerous art courses in Kuringai, Rozelle and Macquarie University College NSW. Also Emma completed a course a painting course at TAFE Meadowbank as well as a portrait art course at Hornsby Art College.
Emma works part-time as an artist with her main medium being acrylic painting as well as some drawing.
Her artwork is interpretative, based on simplified shapes and bold colour. Still life and the aspects of nature are her main subject matter.
In 2014 Emma was diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder and it was not until 2022 did she use artwork as a therapeutic outlet for managements of this illness.
All her artwork, especially her use of colour and bold lines, are influenced by her moods and how her environment affects her.
Emma was selected as a finalist for the Greenway art Prize Leichardt in 2021 and a finalist in the Henry Lawson Festival Grenfell 2022. Artwork mediums in these exhibitions included photography, drawings and acrylic painting. Emma was also a finalist for the MHFA Art Competition in South Yarra in 2023 where two of her paintings were selected.
In 2025 Emma started to pursue art on a part time basis. Here she participated in the 2025 Blue Square Art Exhibition in Bowral. In October she was selected for the Echoes in Bloom Art Competition. She also participated in the SMALL Exhibition in Melbourne. She has also been selected for group exhibition by the Quadrant Gallery – Feels Like Summer, as well as the 40 x 40 exhibition NAS Gallery Newcastle as well as the Neo Noel Art Show in Newcastle and finally the Q Gallery Canberra – Where I Belong.
Art Awards in 2025 include: In March 2025 Emma won the Feel Good Art Prize which is held at the Quadrant Gallery in Hawthorn Melbourne. The judges were Corbett Lyon, Dr Damian Smith and Tony Jackson.
Also in 2025 Emma was placed third in the Ryde Inclusive Art Competition. She has also been selected as a finalist for the 2025 Northern Beaches Summer Art Prize.
For Emma her art journey is only starting. She has a vast array of ideas, techniques and interpretations of the world she wants to share with her audience, she is excited to show you more.
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