Emily McLennan is an abstract painter and mixed media artist based in Scotland’s Central belt. She studied a BA (Hons) degree in Ceramics at Loughborough University (2000-2003). Since then she has worked on a variety of projects using photography, paint and stitch.
Last year Emily looked back at historic protest movements, celebrating the journey and connections people made in order to improve people’s rights; not just their own but for future generations. More recently Emily has focused on telling positive degrowth narratives. Working with palette knives and brushes, she builds up expressive layers of paint in bold colour combinations that create a dynamic surface, to which she then adds shadows of roots and networks. The work is accompanied with short fictional statements imagining future communities making the changes needed to live within planetary boundaries. By looking back, creating uplifting positive work in the present Emily hopes to inspire the journey towards a just and equitable future.
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Politicians started to prioritise the needs of the majority and universal basic services improved the lives of billions of people.
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Economic growth measured by GDP was no longer relevant. Degrowth became the accepted philosophy resulting in a just future for people and the planet.
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Flourishing without growth was accepted leading to significant change. Life started to get easier once people lived within planetary boundaries; peace and balance was restored.
