“Let yourself be silently drawn by the strange pull of what you really love.
It will not lead you astray.”
(Rumi – poet)
Emily McCormack is an Irish landscape and seascape artist based in Co. Meath, working primarily in oil painting and pastel. She creates contemporary landscape, coastal and cityscape paintings known for bold colour, strong structure and a clear, design‑led approach.
Her work explores how weather, memory, heritage and place shape the emotional character of land, sea and city. Emily paints scenes from across Ireland, including the Wild Atlantic Way, the east coast and Dublin cityscapes, and her collections also include selected floral, figurative and equine works, offering a broader view of Irish experience and visual storytelling. Her paintings are held in private collections across Ireland, the UK, Europe and North America.
Her paintings begin with research, observation and a structured design process. Emily works from sketches, studies, site visits and historical material, developing each artwork from concept to final composition. This method allows her to translate place, story and atmosphere into contemporary visual form, creating original Irish paintings that are expressive, grounded and shaped by a strong sense of place.
Before becoming a full‑time artist, Emily spent two decades in civil engineering, dispute resolution and professional training. She holds a Master’s degree from King’s College London and has studied at Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin and Technological University Dublin (formerly DIT Bolton Street). She is a long‑standing Fellow (now retired) of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors and the Chartered Institution of Civil Engineering Surveyors. Emily is also a Professional Member of Visual Artists Ireland (VAI).
Emily’s work has been exhibited across Ireland and in the UK. In 2025, she received the perpetual Jim McNaughton / TileStyle Award for Best Commissioning Practice from Business to Arts, jointly with Drogheda Port Company, for her artwork marking the 150th anniversary of the Brig Manley shipwreck.
Her most recent commissions include work for Cairn Homes and Drogheda Port Company.
Her studio has been featured on RTÉ’s Nationwide, and her work has appeared in The Gloss Magazine (online), the Irish Mail on Sunday Magazine, Ireland’s Homes Interiors & Living Magazine, RSVP (online) and other national publications, with additional features on Irish radio.
Since 2019, Emily has taught art workshops for adults in oils and pastel, offering a calm, structured learning environment where technique and creativity meet. She also publishes a free monthly art blog for beginner artists and art enthusiasts, covering oil painting materials and techniques, pastel methods, colour mixing, Irish artists, global art movements and gallery strolls around Dublin. Her teaching now extends into written instruction and digital resources, supporting a growing community of artists and art lovers.
Emily paints to capture a sense of place, past and present, and to offer collectors artwork that is thoughtful, contemporary and evocatively Irish.
By acquiring her artwork, attending an art class or subscribing to her newsletter, you support an independent studio committed to creativity, community and the evolving landscape of contemporary Irish art.
Original paintings are available to browse online, and Emily regularly shares new work, studio insights, upcoming workshops and collection development through her newsletter and social channels. Explore Emily’s Painting Collections, sign up to her newsletter or follow her on Instagram and LinkedIn for the latest updates.
