On Saturday May 16th, InLiquid was deeply grieved by the loss of Emily Brett Lukens, a cherished member of the Philadelphia arts community. Emily moved to the Philadelphia area from the midwest to receive her MFA in Printmaking from the University of Pennsylvania (1981). Since then, Emily spent 30 years teaching, and exhibiting her work in the Philadelphia area. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Kellogg Center, Michigan State University, West Chester State College and various corporate and private collections.
Since joining InLiquid in 2005, Emily became an endeared member of our community. Emily had a genuine, warm, and good natured personality that made working with her an ease. We had the privilege of exhibiting her work on numerous occasions, and were able to facilitate the inclusion of several of her works from her solo exhibition at Crane Arts to a private collector, and again to the Collection of the Murano. Working with Emily was a truly enjoyable experience.
Lukens shared her love of art through education. She taught multiple classes at PAFA, UPenn, Moore College and most recently at Fleisher Art Memorial.
Emily’s work presents her unique interpretation of nature by incorporating organic material into her pieces, making nature’s textural surfaces the subjects. Through painting, printmaking, and drawing, Emily created dynamic non-representational works that recontextualize and contemporise nature as a subject.
Emily Brett Lukens was a beloved artist in the Philadelphia visual arts community, and InLiquid is deeply saddened to let go of this longtime member and friend. She is survived by her husband, William Lukens
