Emily Faludy studied Fine Art at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth, where, she was focused on portrait painting. Since then, the Kent countryside, a remote Greek mountainside, and now Hampshire, all provide her with an outdoor studio to pursue plein air landscape art. She describes the “the whole of nature as her true studio” and sees life as “one long painting trip…”.
“I have been painting plein air in oils for almost a decade now, since the urge came upon me on a cold, soggy, November day in 2009, when I packed up a canvas in a cardboard box and headed out into the first place outside of London I thought of as ‘countryside’ – Kent. I was equal measures miserable and exhilarated, and since then I have painted in a variety of climes.”
Whilst Emily won First Prize in Oils at Paint Out Norwich in 2017, just months after going full-time professional, she has also taken to painting nocturnes with vigour and an impassioned strength and use of impasto paint layers.
“Ever since I first painted plein air, I have been addicted not just to the results (irrefutably different to studio painting in terms of freshness and feeling), but to the whole process and feel of working outside – of being part of the day in a way I don’t feel anything else does. It brings with it so many wonderful, bizarre and beautiful experiences, from unusual weather to the people you meet, to just being wholeheartedly present with the day. There is nothing quite like it and I am honoured and extremely grateful that this is both my ‘job’, and my passion.
2017 was my first Paint Out, and I was still relatively new to plein air painting, having only started pursuing it properly around 18 months before. I was so excited to find myself amongst a like-minded group of artists, and such an enthusiastic team of organisers and volunteers. Painting can seem lonely sometimes and it was wonderful to be out, doing what I normally do on my own with a group, and to have people to discuss the experience with afterwards. The feeling of camaraderie was really something special.
I was ecstatic to win the ‘Oils’ category that year, the first time I had ever won an award. That affirmation that my efforts since I had started painting plein air had not been in vain was priceless to me, and gave me a confidence I had lacked before. It felt like a significant marker point at the beginning of my career, as it seemed to kickstart a series of events which has included being shown at two galleries, winning an award at another plein air event, and being accepted into the Royal Society of Marine Artists’ annual show for the first time this year.
Paint Out has become not just my favourite painting event, but actually my favourite event in the year, full stop! I’m excited about what they will come up with next time…”
