Lin Emery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lin Emery
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Lin Emery pouring bronze at the Orleans Workshop, a foundry and ceramic facility that she co-founded in 1963
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| Born |
Lenore Emery
May 20, 1926 |
| Died | March 11, 2021 (aged 94) |
| Nationality | American |
| Known for | kinetic sculpture, public art |
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Notable work
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Morrison Memorial, 1966, fountain for the New Orleans Civic Center. Wave, 1985, New Orleans Museum of Art. |
| Movement | Kinetic art, Constructivism (art), Modern sculpture |
Lin Emery (born May 20, 1926 – died March 11, 2021) was an American artist from New Orleans. She was famous for making large sculptures that moved, often powered by wind. These moving artworks, called kinetic sculptures, were inspired by nature. After 1972, all her art could move, using water, magnets, motors, or wind. She also helped start the Orleans Gallery in 1956, which was an important art space run by artists.
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Lin Emery's Early Life and Schooling
Lin Emery's father passed away when she was only three years old. Her family lived in Larchmont, New York, but they spent winters in Florida. This meant Lin went to different schools in New York and Florida each year.
Between 1935 and 1942, she attended several schools. She also took private lessons in drawing, French, Latin, and German. When she was sixteen, she officially changed her first name from "Leonor" to "Lin." She then began college, studying at places like Columbia University and the University of Chicago. After college, she worked for the Chicago Sun-Times newspaper. In 1945, she moved to New Orleans and worked as a fashion writer.
How Lin Emery Became an Artist
Lin Emery continued her studies in Paris, France, from 1947 to 1950. She took classes at the Sorbonne and attended evening drawing sessions. During this time, she also visited New Mexico and showed her paintings in an art museum there.
In 1949, she returned to Paris to study sculpture with a famous artist named Ossip Zadkine. After this, she moved back to New Orleans and started working with clay and plaster. From 1951 to 1952, she studied at the New York Sculpture Center. There, she learned how to weld and cast metal. She even showed her work alongside other well-known artists. By 1953, she had turned her apartment in New Orleans into a full metalworking studio.
Lin Emery's Art Career
Lin Emery's first artworks were sculptures of people and religious figures. She made life-sized figures for churches in Louisiana and other Southern states. Over time, she became more interested in the metal frames inside her sculptures. This led her to create abstract sculptures made of welded metal. These artworks were very popular in New Orleans and New York.
She then started to experiment with making her sculptures move. First, she used water to power her "aquamobiles." These water-powered sculptures became famous across America. Large bronze aquamobiles were made for cities like Tulsa, Oklahoma City, and New Orleans. Smaller ones were shown in museums. Later, she used magnets to create movement. Finally, she found that wind was the most reliable way to make her sculptures move. Wind-powered sculptures were then placed in public spaces across the United States and Asia.
Between 1955 and 1970, Lin Emery's art became widely known. A magazine called Art in America featured her work in 1955, which led to her art traveling to museums across the South. During this time, she also started using magnets and created her "Aquamobiles." She got the idea for these while washing dishes! She also showed her art in Hong Kong and Manila.
Lin Emery also shared her skills with other artists. She received her first big public art projects, including the 1966 Morrison Memorial fountain in New Orleans. From 1969 to 1970, she taught at Tulane University and learned more about engineering. In 1976, she helped organize a big sculpture conference in New Orleans. Many famous artists and critics attended this event. In 1984, she was asked to create art for the World's Fair.
When Lin Emery's Art Was Stolen
In 2010, thieves broke into Lin Emery's art studio. They stole some of her tools and a large, 13-part sculpture called the Morrison Aquamobile.
Awards and Honors for Lin Emery
Lin Emery received many awards for her amazing artwork:
- 2012 Opus Award, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, New Orleans, LA
- 2005 S. Simon Sculpture Award, National Academy Museum, NY
- 2004 Honorary Doctorate, Loyola University of the South
- 2001 Governor's Arts Award, Louisiana
- 1998 Grand Prize for Public Sculpture, Osaka Prefecture, Japan
- 1990 Lazlo Aranyi Award of Honor for Public Art
- 1988 Distinguished Louisiana Artist Award, N.O.C.C.A., New Orleans, LA
- 1984 Louisiana Women of Achievement Award
- 1983 National Endowment for the Arts "Interarts" Grant
- 1980 Mayor's Award for Achievement in the Arts, New Orleans, LA
Lin Emery's Museum Shows
Lin Emery's art has been featured in special shows at several museums:
- 2018 Louisiana Art and Science Museum, LA
- 2017 Hilliard University Art Museum, LA
- 1996 New Orleans Museum of Art, LA
- 2010 Leepa-Rattner Museum of Art, FL
