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Emma Moore Heslin 

BA [Hons] Art

Emma is an Irish artist, based in Dublin. She is a painter, who works primarily with acrylic paint on primed wood or canvas. Creating figurative and genre pieces, she portrays normal people engaged in everyday scenes. She focuses on studying and depicting body language and deciphering people's untold emotions and thoughts. She aspires to achieve a sense of intimacy within the relationships portrayed. Her subjects are amenable, good-humoured, playful, relaxed, easy-going and calm and remind us to celebrate our humanity. Her work has featured in IADT student shows such as New Translations (IMMA 2019) and Propositions (IADT 2022).

Waiting for a train, acrylic on primed wood, 25 x 35cm. Two devoted friends, were photographed sleeping serenely on a bench. While waiting for a train, at ease in each other's company, their poses were relaxed and comfortable. Their shared intimacy and mutual trust was a compelling incentive for this artwork.
Lazy day, acrylic on primed wood, 20 x 20cm. The artist reproduces here a shared quiet, intimate moment of unsuspecting grandparents, reposing on a rooftop, having come full circle, manifest unwavering trust and timeless devotion.
"Almost ready.", acrylic on primed wood, 52 x 32cm. In this portrait, the subject, oblivious to the camera lens and focused on the task of polishing his shoes, is running late and is hurriedly preparing for his grandson's baptism. An otherwise banal, ordinary but nevertheless universal activity is arrested in time and preserved for posterity.
Men at play, acrylic on primed wood, 27 x 30cm. A convivial evening of casual conversation, storytelling, beer and bursts of laughter, is recorded in this painting. These middle-aged men, friends for years, are clearly at ease in each other's company.
"Do you mind if I smoke?", acrylic on primed wood, 42 x 30cm. An easy-going, warm-hearted and jovial soirée in a Manhattan apartment is the subject of this artwork. The artist was interested in the dynamics of the relationships between the figures, some of whom had just been acquainted with one another.
"I'll do it for you", 40 x 40cm, acrylic on canvas. The tactile mantra of humble hair braiding, celebrated in this painting, is soothing and calming and bringing joy. The benefactor is focused, attentive and kind and her manual repetitive pattern, over and under, up and down, is creating a sense of emotional well-being in the beneficiary.
Father and daughter, acrylic on paper, 100 x 70cm. This intimate image of a first-time father, captivated by his adored infant daughter, tenderly cradling and supporting her, reveals both fascinated interest and profound attachment. The artist, who wished to celebrate this quiet, but nevertheless, memorable, moment, was intrigued by it's unusual composition. A family friend, deep in conversation, is oblivious to the interaction next to her.
A study of my sister, acrylic on primed wood, 27 x 20cm. The familiar minutiae of quotidian routine is shown in this image, as a young woman energetically makes breakfast. There is an implicit personal relationship suggested here between the viewer and her subject, who is intently focused on her endeavor.
Finding the Balance, acrylic on primed wood, 62 x 52cm. This painting captures the playful platonic intimacy of two childhood friends, who, although grown to adulthood, continue to rely upon and support one another. Negotiating their individual paths, they maintain their enduring bond and their friendship and trust is encapsulated here.
Casual Intimacies

This series of paintings aims to portray ordinary people, engaged in everyday activities. The subject matter focuses on human interactions in social situations, attempting to capture momentary exchanges, revealing the close familiarity of friends and family, relaxed and unaware of the viewer’s gaze. In these paintings I wish to celebrate those unnoticed moments, capturing instances of casual intimacy. I aim to achieve a sense of calm, comfort and familiarity in my work. They are figurative pieces painted with vibrant colour on primed wood and stretched canvas.


Women Artists, the Female Body and the Gaze: An Examination of the Work of Alice Neel and Paula Rego.

This thesis examines how women artists have rescued the depiction of the female body from the male gaze, exploring, in the first chapter, the idea of the gaze, the concept of the male gaze and how it has been used in the creation of Art. This is then followed by an appreciation of the contrasting female gaze, it's empowerment of women and its restoration of agency to them.
In the second chapter, a selection of Alice Neel's artistic production is reviewed which celebrates humanity and subverts art history’s male gaze. In her confrontational, intimate portraits, she unveils an intense and multi-layered view of identity, as seen from a female perspective.
The third chapter focuses on the work of Portuguese/British artist, Paula Rego , who portrays dysfunctional family relationships and explores personal, social and political challenges. She revolutionises the representation of women in her body of work. Her themes of identity and empowerment make her “a strong conveyer of female experience”.
The conclusion refers to other contemporary female artists, who, like Neel and Rego, have also reclaimed female identity in art and are working to rescue the depiction of the female body from the male gaze.

Art
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