Conversations with Erin Adams

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin Adams

Hi Erin, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
Art has always been my calling. From a young age, I knew I wanted to be an artist—it was my purpose in life. That passion led me to study at Otis Art Institute Parsons School of Design in the late 1980s. Even while I was still in school, I began working for a company that created backdrops and built sets for music videos and commercials. This experience allowed me to gain hands-on industry knowledge early on, and after graduating from Otis, I quickly rose through the ranks to become an art director at the company I worked for.

At the same time, I started my own backdrop business, bringing my unique artistic vision to the world of photography. My hand-painted backdrops were expressive and colorful, and they attracted a loyal following of photographers who valued my work. This led to a long-term, exclusive collaboration with ABC, where I spent over 20 years creating dynamic environments for celebrity photo shoots.

As my career evolved, I decided to take a break from art directing to start a family. I adopted two wonderful sons, who became the center of my life. During this transition, I also reconsidered how to structure my work to have more flexibility as a parent. That’s when I discovered decorative painting. Wanting to expand my skill set, I earned a C-33 license as a decorative painting contractor. This opened new opportunities, allowing me to work on high-end residential and commercial projects while still maintaining my creative practice. Over the past 30 years, I have also used my experience as a contractor to buy, renovate, and sell properties in Los Angeles—a process that has combined my artistic sensibilities with a keen eye for design and transformation.

Even with my success in set design, backdrops, and decorative painting, fine art has always remained at the core of my identity. Wanting to deepen my practice and expand my artistic dialogue, I pursued my Master of Fine Arts at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from 2019 to 2021. This experience allowed me to push my work conceptually, refine my techniques, and engage with a broader artistic community. Since then, I have continued to create paintings and sculptures, exhibiting my work in galleries and institutions across Los Angeles, as well as nationally and internationally.

My art has given me the opportunity to connect with audiences in meaningful ways, and I have been honored to participate in artist residencies, including at Anderson Ranch Arts Center in Aspen, Colorado. Most recently, I have been invited to a residency at Instituto in Porto, Portugal, where I will be working the out the month of April 2025.

Looking back, my journey has been one of constant evolution—adapting, learning, and finding new ways to express my vision. Whether through set design, backdrops, decorative painting, painting and sculpture, my work has always been about creating something impactful, something that resonates with people, with a special focus on the environment. It has been an incredible experience to see my art reach others, both here in the U.S. and around the world. I’m excited to see where my next chapter in art takes me!

www.ErinAdamsArt.com

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The challenges of being a woman artist have never fully disappeared, though the landscape has changed. It is still difficult, but more possible than it ever was before.While I was a student the art history books barely mentioned women artists! Finding my place in the art world has been a continuous process of exploration and discovery—figuring out how to move forward and maneuver myself through this lifelong journey.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My work engages with audiences through immersive installations, sculpture, painting, performance, video, and social practice. Through various mediums, I explore themes of Queer culture, chosen family, activism, futurism, ageism, power structures and race. The work emerges from a combination of lived experiences, personal mythology and my research in the study of Queer bodies in
contemporary American culture.

What’s next?
I’m especially excited to go to Porto, Portugal in April of 2025! I can’t wait to see what I create and how the work will resonate with audiences in Europe.

Pricing:

• 23,000

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ErinAdamsArt.com
• Instagram: @erinadamsart
• Facebook: Erin E Adams
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@emmasmom99