Emma Mary Murray

Artist, Writer, and Teacher

Emma Mary Murray is an environmental artist, writer, and teacher currently living on Mount Desert Island in Maine after spending many years chasing peaks in the Rocky Mountain West. Emma began embroidering the ecosystems around her seven years ago and has found the medium a perfect counterpart to fast or physically-intensive pursuits like climbing, skiing, and trail romping. She creates slow-crafted pieces that honor the landscapes they depict, fostering connection between the viewer or wearer and the natural world.

Emma’s work is rooted in topography, story, and process. Often, she up-cycles existing textiles into new ones, combining a love of the practice with a desire to work toward a more circular economy. Reusing materials ensures she makes art steeped in story. As we fight for the climate and for each other, stories of old things finding new life are vital. It’s all stitched together: the teaching, the learning, the wild places, and the methodical movement of needle through fabric.