Meet Emily
Emily King Simpson is a multidisciplinary artist working primarily in oil painting and textile based sculptural work. She graduated from the Bachelor of Fine Arts program at the University of Ottawa in April 2021 where she was awarded the University of Ottawa Sculpture Prize. She is also a graduate of the Arts Administration and Cultural Management postgraduate certificate at Humber College.
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Emily’s practice aims to explore queer femininity through personal experiences, as well as through queer histories and cultural productions, such as feminist theories and lesbian literature. She combines figurative and abstract modes of representation to create paintings that are in dialogue with these themes.
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Through her textile work, she combines garment construction, embroidery and fabric painting to explore the ways that fashion and craft practices relate to gender and sexual identity. Emily strives to create work that engages in dialogues surrounding queer feminine identities and the introspective nature of discovering one’s own identity.
Curriculum Vitae
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
Reclaimed Perspective: The Female Gaze / Gallery 115 / January 2018, Ottawa, ON
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
All The Small Things / Northern Contemporary / June-July 2023, Toronto, ON
Pride Exhibit / Neilson Park Creative Centre / June 2023, Toronto, ON
Fragment / University of Ottawa Graduation Exhibition / May 2021, Virtual
Art + Parcel / Annexe Ottawa Art Gallery, November 2020 / Ottawa, ON
42nd Juried Exhibition / Art Gallery of Northumberland / October 2020, Cobourg, ON
Art History: Is It Relevant? / Gallery 115 / March 2020, Ottawa, ON
Limitless / Paradigm[e] Gallery / December 2019, Ottawa, ON
À La Mode / Gallery 115 / December 2019, Ottawa, ON
La Grande Chambre / Gallery 115 / November 2018, Ottawa, ON
Come Unify / Ottawa Art Gallery (Ottawa Pride) / August 2018, Ottawa, ON
Young at Art / Shenkman Arts Center / May 2018, Ottawa, ON
Revive / Paradigm[e] Gallery / December 2017, Ottawa, ON
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PUBLICATIONS
OPAL: The Ottawa Photography and Art Label / Issue 4 - 2021
Ottawa Arts Review / Revolution - 2019
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ARTIST PANELS
Pride Showcase Artist Panel / WeirFoulds LLP & Partial Gallery / June 2023, Toronto, ON
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WORKSHOPS
Watercolour Workshop / Art Drop Workshop Series / Kind Space - July 2021
Watercolour Workshop / Blooming With Pride / Polycultural and Culturelink Youth - June 2021
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SOCIAL MEDIA FEATURES
Creative Spotlight (Instagram, Facebook) / Nosy Mag - July 2021
Instagram Live Interview / Pride Talk / Polycultural and Culturelink Youth - June 2021
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EDUCATION
Humber College / Arts Administration and Cultural Management - 2022
University of Ottawa / Bachelor of Fine Arts - 2021
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PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Arts Administration / Museum Assistant Intern / Sooke Region Museum / 2022 - 2023 / Sooke, BC
Arts Administration Intern / Tangled Arts + Disability / 2022 / Toronto, ON
Arts Administration Intern / Art Gallery of Northumberland / 2022 / Cobourg, ON
Project Coordinator / Fragment Exhibition (University of Ottawa BFA Graduate Exhibition) / January - May 2021 / Ottawa, ON
Board Member / Kind Space / 2020 - 2022 / Ottawa, ON
Secretary / Gallery 115 Board of Directors / 2018 - 2019 / Ottawa, ON
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AWARDS
University of Ottawa Sculpture Prize - 2021
Dean’s Honour List - 2019 Fall Term, 2020 Fall Term, 2021 Winter Term
Admissions Scholarship - 2017