Emma Patterson

An artist who specializes in the larger than life, Emma expresses vivid movement through her projects. Her passions are natural subjects and portraits, often set underwater, using vivid colors and sensual shapes to evoke the image frozen in time but still vibrating with life—striking a mesmerizing connection with viewers.

Emma works with acrylics and chalk pastels. In her acrylic paintings, she methodically layers thick, opaque layers of vibrant colors to create an image bursting with energy. She is currently working on her newest collection of pieces of Underwater Bouquets ~ exploring the colorful and whimsical shapes created when flowers are put underwater.

Emma’s chalk art is done in the traditional Italian street style, either outside on asphalt or concrete or indoors on a large chalkboard surface. Street chalk art is beloved for its public qualities, so Emma works on chalk paintings over the course of 2-5 days while onlookers stop and enjoy the process and are eager to return and see progress.

Emma was born and raised in Santa Barbara, CA and has a BA in Music. She was a music teacher and professional musician for 6 years, but has been working professionally in the fine art and chalk art world from a young age. She started out as a chalk artist for hire at 17 and continues to be a yearly fixture at Santa Barbara’s iMadonnari Chalk Art Festival. Being born and raised in Santa Barbara cultivated her love for the water and the freedom and invigoration of the natural world. She moved to Boulder, CO in June 2021 and has turned to painting as her full-time passion, where she continues to explore her passion of underwater images frozen in time.