Emma Alvarez is a digital artist, specialized in fantasy and sci-fiction illustration. Her works are shown in art galleries both in her country Spain as overseas.
She also makes conferences about digital art and culture in general. She has been columnist of cultural topics, and her articles have been recognized and published in magazines and important websites.
She also creates digital resources for other artists.
Her techniques go from digital painting to 3D manipulation, including also digital mixed media.
One of her artworks ("The Last Steampunk Flight") was included in "Sci-Fi Art Now", the book by the ex-Marvel UK editor, John Freeman. In the words of its author: "SCI-FI ART NOW brings together for the first time the finest, freshest, and most exciting talents in the world of sci-fi illustration. Artists from around the world-from China and Singapore to the United States and Europe-are represented in this volume, which focuses on the latest and most imaginative work being produced today. " ( John Freeman )
Exhibitions
- Solo exhibition in Arco de San Juan Hotel, in Murcia (Spain), Neoclassical XVIII century palace. April-May, 2010.
- La Romana in Alicante (Spain). Donation of an artwork to La Romana City Council to be exhibited in the permanent art collection of the Cultural Center of the town. May, 2010
- "Arte en Plural", collective exhibition in the "Casa de Cultura" of Novelda (Spain). June, 2010.
- "TAZA International Fair of Contemporary Art", in Taza (Morocco). Sponsored by Art Dubai - UAE, Friends Of Morocco -USA, amongst others. June, 2010. Also appeared as featured artist in the promotional poster of the fair.
- Gallery That inauguration, in Tsuen Wan bay, Hong Kong. Sponsored by Artrendnow. June, 2010.
- "Aires Creativos", collective exhibition in several cities: Jerica (Castellon), in the Socos Cultural Center (June); Alfara de la Baronia (Castellon), in the Exhibitions Hall of the City Council (July); and later it will be in Real Circulo Artistico (Barcelona, Catalonia), recognized by King Alfonso XVIII in 1916 (August).
- Mimosa gallery of Taza (Morocco), on the occasion of the Throne Feast, organized by the Cultural Direction of Taza and the Moroccan regional association Golden Triangle of Fine Arts. August, 2010.
- Exhibition For Human Rights, traveling collective exhibition starting in Alicante. In collaboration with International Amnesty and EDA. December, 2010.
Started in Panoramis Gallery (Alicante), followed by: Casino of Alicante, Archaeological Museum of Elda. December, 2010 - March, 2011
- Exhibition "Chromatic Winter", in the inauguration of Casa Encarnada of La Romana (Spain). February, 2011
- Exhibition "Take Art / Leave Art", in AVA Gallery (Association For Virtual Arts), Chattanooga (Tennessee, USA) March 4th - April 1st, 2011.
- Solo exhibition "Tierras de Leyenda y Otros Mundos" in Ambito Cultural of Corte Ingles of Alicante (Spain). April 15th - May 3rd, 2011.
- Solo exhibition at Minerva Gallery ("Colegio Oficial de Doctores y Licenciados en Filosofia y Letras y en Ciencias" of Alicante, Spain). 8-30 June, 2011.
- International Exhibition Of Contemporary Art In Alhoceima (Morocco), 25-30 June, 2011.
- Exhibition At Wagner Theater In Aspe (Spain) "Art for Human Rights". November 4 - December 10, 2011.
- "Together In The Mediterranean" Art Exhibition In Casino of Alicante. December 10-30, 2011.
- Exhibition At San Vicente Del Raspeig. June 20 - July 2, 2012
In the media
- Yareah magazine cover and interiors. March, 2009.
- 3D Hobby magazine (sponsorship of a 3D contest). April, 2010.
- Informacion newspaper. June, 2010.
- Interview at the radio of the University of Valencia (Spain), at the program "Cuestion de Magia", directed and presented by Puri Benavent. July,2010.
- Informacion newspaper feature. July, 2010.
- Interview at Radio San Vicente (Spain), at the program "La Tarde en San Vicente", presented by Arena Garcia. September 2010.
- Conference "Digital Art: The Evolution Of Art" at Ambito Cultural of Corte Ingles in Alicante, about the different disciplines of digital art. October, 2010.
- Illustration in the book "Scifi Art Now" by John Freeman. "SCI-FI ART NOW brings together for the first time the finest, freshest, and most exciting talents in the world of sci-fi illustration. Artists from around the world-from China and Singapore to the United States and Europe-are represented in this volume, which focuses on the latest and most imaginative work being produced today. " ( John Freeman )
- Conference "Christmas In Art". December, 2010.
- Conference for cultural events of San Juan de Dios in the Colegio Oficial de Enfermeria of Alicante. March2011.
- Interview for the magazine Web Art Gallery Magazine. April 2011.
- Interview for Atiende TV. April 2011.
- Back page of Amanecer Magazine. April-May 2011.
- 2 Illustrations in the poetry and art book "Hablan Los Poetas". June 2011.
- Artwork "The Free Soul Of Pegasus" on 2M Monde TV channel (Morocco). June 2011.
Biography
Emma Alvarez was born in Asturias, in the north of Spain, a region heavily influenced by the Celtic culture. Her father was book publisher, so at a very early age she made contact with people of culture and art.
Since she was a child, she felt a strong interest in stories and illustrations of fantasy and science fiction, being her favorite reads those from authors like Charles Dickens, Robert Louis Stevenson, Hans Christian Andersen, Charles Perrault, Grimm brothers...
Since always she felt inclined to everything related with art, feeling intense admiration for artists of the Renaissance: Raphael, Leonardo Da Vinci, Hieronymus Bosch, and painters that dealt with mythological themes, like Velazquez, Goya... And later for Impressionism, that made a great impact in her because of the use of bright colors in favor of the shape in authors like Claude Monet, Edouard Manet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and the Post-Impressionism of Van Gogh.
Although what made a greater influence on her were fantasy illustrators like Boris Vallejo, Jully Bell, Josephine Wall, Ken Kelly...
She was always involved in everything related with art, music, cinema, illustration...
When she was 19 years old she married with the programmer and 3D modeler Jordi R. Cardona, and with him she started her professional career in Internet and her first works in graphics design.
For 3 years she worked for several independent cinema producers (another of her biggest passions), working in diverse positions from make-up effects artist to direction assistant, production team, etc... At the same time, she started and finished her studies of graphics design.
She was always involved with the world of culture, being a regular attender of conferences and exhibitions. She started a culture blog in 2007 that has reached a remarkable success.
Some of her works and articles were featured in the websites of the University of Barcelona, University of Minnesota, School of Computer Science of the University of Carleton, Scott Guthrie's Blog (Corporate Vice President of Microsoft)...
During all this time, she developed her illustration techniques, as a commissioned illustrator, and as seller of graphic resources for other artists.
Her design articles have been featured on top graphics design sites like the School of Computer Science of McGill University of Montreal, Smashing Magazine, PSDTuts... and her literary articles in Archaeolink (an academic archeology site), including her monthly column in Yareah Magazine for one year.
Currently, Emma Alvarez is a freelancer digital illustrator that uses mixed media, 3D manipulation and digital painting to create her artworks.