Although Emily Terranova spent her childhood dreaming of becoming a biologist, she changed her mind in high school and set her sights on a career as an artist after discovering that art was a powerful outlet for all of her passions. Currently, Emily sells her work online via third-party sites, but she hopes to someday open her own design company. She graduated from Lesley University in August of 2018, after several years of experimenting with different art fields.

 

The vibrancy and intricate detail of her work reflects her love of whatever subject she illustrates. Most of Emily’s work is multimedia, incorporating acrylic, ink, watercolor, digital painting, and surface design to create visual stories. Her aesthetics are heavily influenced by Japanese prints, European medieval tapestries, and prehistoric cave drawings. Artists such as Victo Ngai, Emily Carroll, Edward Gorey, Mary Blair, and Quentin Blake have also played a huge part in inspiring her.

 

People have often described her as a “bleeding heart,” and her compassion tends to be a driving force in most of her personal life. Her sympathetic nature has diverted Emily’s focus onto several political issues, such as climate change and Black Lives Matter. She also has a personal stake in the progress of LGBTQ rights. In addition to her passion for social activism, an intense and insatiable curiosity has plagued Emily since birth, leading to her wide range of other interests — including, but not limited to, fantasy and sci-fi, video games, comedy, mystery, and science. When Emily is not working in her studio, she can be found solving puzzles, watching documentaries, or doting on her calico, Muffin.