Today we’d like to introduce you to Emeline Tate.
Emeline, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I grew up in a quiet village on the south coast of England. My mother encouraged me to be creative. After graduating from fashion college, I got a job in fashion as a pattern cutter in London. After a few years, I became a technical designer and got a fun job for Ted Baker. Even though my job was somewhat creative, I had a need to make art for myself. So, in my spare time, I would create fun contemporary art pieces inspired by my childhood memories. I had an exhibition in my own home for fun and invited my family, friends, and neighbors. The show was a success, and I was asked when I was doing another. Within a few years, I did twenty pop-up art shows around London. I showed my art in small gallery spaces, trendy bars, restaurants even a big bookshop in Piccadilly Circus.
In 2005, I got married to my soulmate and moved to California. I had my first group art show in Palm Springs in 2008 at Janssen Art Space. Then in 2010 my husband had a job opportunity in Canada. To be creative, I started manipulating my original artwork with Photoshop. I discovered I enjoyed making prints using my art as a starting point. In 2012 I used companies like Society6 and Threadless to share my art on a variety of products. I found that it was fun to see my work on different products. Other companies reached out to me and so I started licensing my prints on a wide variety of products. Today, you can find my art as prints on fashion, shoes, tech products, home goods, and even Italian wallpaper. My work has been featured in shops like Target, Nordstrom, Bed Bath and Beyond, and more. A few years ago, Hillary Duff handpicked my phone case design for her holiday collection for Casetify.
After winning two print competitions with Printed Village, they invited me to go to New York and film for the TV show The Profit with Marcus Lemonis. This was when a variation of my famous geometric print was picked for a swimsuit collection. It was this same year that I won the Threadless Accelerator Award. I was given a grant to help boost my art business. It really made me think about my art career, so I invested in an art business coach. She helped me investigate why I create, amongst other things, and deep down, I knew I had a need to make something with my hands. So, I started to make plaster cast art pieces similar to what I was making twenty years ago in London.
Since moving back to Palm Springs five years ago, I have had several successful group art shows at Janssen Artspace and two fun projects for Palm Springs Public Arts. My goal this year is to go bigger and so I plan to make bigger text-based 3D artworks. I also want to make more commissions. It brings me much joy when I make custom word pieces for clients; I think it’s so special to be able to make someone a personal art piece using their own words or words that inspire or resonate with them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
From the start of my art career, I have created art for me and done shows for fun. The pop-ups I did in London were the best, but they were hard work because I was working full-time. Since 2005, I have moved countries three times. Each time I have had to start over and that can be hard as an artist. Plus, the struggles with immigration and learning a new culture and a different way of life. The last few years though have been a lot easier because of the internet and social media. Living in the Coachella Valley, I have discovered that there is a huge art community. As a British expat it can be lonely, but having artists nearby that understand and support you is wonderful.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m most known for my text-based artwork. My 3D art pieces are handmade. Each letter is made from plaster using my own handmade molds. They are then sculpted and composed on canvas before being painted to look as if the piece is chiseled out of one piece of stone. As each letter is made individually, each piece is unique even if they have the same words. I’ve been making these types of art pieces for over twenty years and have yet to find someone that creates something like my work with the same process.
One small word art piece I have made called “I Love Palm Springs” has been sold over twenty times. The first one I made was a gift for local poet Alex Gildzen, who gifted me some poems for collaboration. Two businesses in Palm Springs have bought this same art piece. One is in Bar Cecil, and another is at the hotel called Holiday House. Both businesses are known for their love of art, so it makes me happy knowing my artwork is with good company.
Five years ago, I digitized my 3D letters and started to make digital versions of my original artwork, but in bright happy colors. In 2021, I won a competition with Brit and Co x Bounty. They chose one of my colorful text-based prints to be as a paper towel. After waiting patiently, last year I was able to buy my artwork in my local grocery store. Knowing that it was being sold nationwide was a great feeling.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
I grew up playing the violin and piano and played to grade 8 standards. I even sang in the Albert Hall in London with the school choir. While at school, I was embarrassed because I was the girl with the violin case and the giant art portfolio case. However, when I was at art college, a tutor told me it was either music or art and that I couldn’t do both.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.emelinetate.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/emeline_tate
