Emilia Valerio

When Life Squeezes Lemons, 2025

Green, orange, pink, and blue squares with a bright yellow lemon in the middle, a squeezed lemon slice next to it, and lemon juice running off the page. The green and orange squares host lighter colored lines alternating on both sides.

Emilia audio describes When Life Squeezes Lemons:

Green, orange, pink, and blue squares with a bright yellow lemon in the middle, a squeezed lemon slice next to it, and lemon juice running off the page. The green and orange squares host lighter colored lines alternating on both sides.

Process & Inspiration

Listen to Emilia talk their process and inspiration:

Can you share a little bit about the process and the inspiration for this painting?

Yeah, so I started off by sectioning off four squares and then painting the top left green, top right orange, left bottom pink, and left right, blue.

And then I sketched out the shape of the lemon slice and the lemon and started by putting down the base color.

And then when that was done, I went in with some shadows and highlights and then went further into detail with some darker and lighter shades of green and yellow dots to give the illusion of texture.

And then I did the same with the juice. I chose the colour I wanted to use and then watered it down to give the transparent look.

And at the end I taped off sections and put lighter green and orange stripes alternating on both sides.

I got the inspiration from several big changes in my life like the loss of my dog and moving out of home. It gave me the inspiration to try something new and make something meaningful while achieving what I’d set out to do the first time.

I hadn’t been able to achieve what I wanted the first attempt but I feel pleased I got to explore pop art and still have made this piece really authentic and mean something.

Why pop art?

Can you tell me why you decided to choose a pop art subject?

I decided to do pop art because I really love bright colours and wanted to try something new and just challenge myself.

Pop art is very simple with clean lines and I’m so used to making complex paintings I find it a challenge to tone down what I do and I also don’t do realism because of the struggles I’ve had with it in the past so I decided to try again and push my boundaries and see what I’m capable of and just get out of my comfort zone.

By combining my styles of realism and pop art, I haven’t just pushed myself to try something new, but I’ve also discovered and developed a new skill.

A carousel of the artwork process and instruction

Click the left and right arrows to see more images:

A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the other sections left unpainted white. The canvas rests on a paint-splattered blue surface.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the other sections left unpainted white. The canvas rests on a paint-splattered blue surface.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the other section left unpainted white. The canvas rests on a paint-splattered blue surface.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the bottom right painted blue.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the bottom right painted blue.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the bottom right painted blue. An outline of a lemon is drawn on top.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the bottom right painted blue. An outline of a lemon is drawn on top.
A rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the bottom right painted blue. On top, a yellow lemon and a yellow crescent-shaped lemon slice are painted.
A hand holding a rectangular canvas divided into four sections: the top left painted green, the bottom left painted pink, the top right painted orange, the bottom right painted blue. On top, a yellow lemon and a yellow crescent-shaped lemon slice are painted.

Artist Intro Film

Visit Emilia's Studio
Go back to Exhibition front page