About The Artist
Emma Gourlay is a contemporary painter from Forfar, and a recent graduate of Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design. Her practice is driven by nostalgia and how the vibrancy of girlhood lingers throughout one’s life.
Emma believes we remember childhood memories like puzzle pieces that slot together in the wrong order, making us remember days in a unique light. She paints from the perspective of her childhood self, depicting objects and places as how she remembers seeing them as a young girl. Her work is a representation of girls a like, pulling elements from pop culture and literature to inform her practice, as well as being influenced by artists like Anthony Cudahy and Petra Schott. She wants her paintings to radiate positivity and create a bond between the viewer and the painting through the idea that girlhood is a collective experience.
Emma’s recent collection of paintings We Were Girls First is dedicated to her childhood friends. Each painting represents specific childhood memories, such as Pretending We Are Fairies (2024), which depicts playing in her grandparent’s garden. Her work has been displayed in artist-led spaces such as Generator Projects and local galleries such as The Meffan Institute in Forfar.