Emily Smith is a multidisciplinary artist whose practice centers on painting as a way of exploring personal fascination, historical narrative, and symbolic meaning. Working primarily in acrylic paint, Smith draws inspiration from music, pop culture, and history, creating works that blend research driven themes with a developing visual language rooted in storytelling and atmosphere. As a recent graduate holding dual bachelor’s degrees in Studio Art and Art History, she continues to deepen the relationship between historical inquiry and contemporary painting within her practice.
Smith’s work frequently reflects moments where personal curiosity and artistic growth intersect. Influenced by historical subjects and cultural memory, she approaches painting as both a visual and intellectual process, allowing historical imagery to become reinterpreted through contemporary perspective. Her practice explores how symbols from the past continue to resonate emotionally and culturally in the present, particularly through themes of ritual, transformation, and preservation.
Through her evolving body of work, Smith aims to develop a distinct visual style that balances historical reference with personal interpretation. Her paintings embrace moments of reflection and rediscovery, inviting viewers to engage with history not as something distant or static, but as a living source of inspiration and meaning.
Currently Exhibiting in: New York, NY
Instagram: @emilyasmith_art
Featured Artwork at Bushwick Gallery
Title: Eternal Life
Year of Creation: 2026
Medium: Acrylic on canvas
Dimensions: 11 × 14 in
Edition Type: Unique, 1 of 1
Location: New York, NY
Price: $900
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Description
Eternal Life draws inspiration from the discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb and the preserved floral remnants found among its funerary treasures. Emily Smith focuses particularly on the symbolic role flowers and plant life held within ancient Egyptian burial traditions, where they represented rebirth, renewal, and the continuation of life beyond death. Through this historical reference, the painting transforms botanical imagery into a meditation on permanence, memory, and spiritual transition.
Created in acrylic on canvas, the work reflects Smith’s ongoing interest in merging art historical research with contemporary painting practice. The composition balances delicacy and symbolism, using floral forms not only for their visual beauty, but also for their cultural and ceremonial significance within ancient Egyptian tradition.
In Eternal Life, Smith bridges historical fascination with personal artistic growth. The painting becomes both homage and reinterpretation, exploring how symbols from ancient civilizations continue to carry emotional and spiritual resonance within the present day.
Exhibition Information
Exhibition Title: Botanic Bodies
Theme: Organic elegance, natural forms, and expansive growth
Exhibition Dates: May 14 – May 21, 2026
Opening Reception: Thursday, May 14 / 6 PM – 8 PM
Private Showings and Events: Invite only throughout the week