A glance at Emily Hadley’s website is enough to make the most accomplished of creative business owners feel (more than?) slightly inadequate. Not only has she and her husband renovated three homes, Emily took charge of the interiors - a service she has also developed professionally - she is also an Instagram influencer and content creator, a silversmith with a range of jewellery… and now runs a hugely successful art gallery from her home.  And during much of this was also a primary school teacher championing art for future young creatives.

In our lively and entertaining chat Emily shares how her love of teaching, and especially sharing and encouraging art in all its forms to her pupils, was gradually eroded by lack of resources and support. Giving up her much loved career she looked for an alternative that would give her the same satisfaction: she was already styling and photographing her home for social media when an artist friend encouraged her to include original art too. She embraced this wholeheartedly, and was soon representing a varied and exciting range of artists and selling their work all over the world. 

I love chatting to all creatives and creative business owners, but a conversation with a fellow gallerist is quite special as it’s also an opportunity to share the joys - as well as the frustrations - of our businesses and Emily is candid in our conversation about the highs and lows of running any creative business, and her aspirations for the future. 

You can visit Emily’s website at https://www.emilyhadley.co.uk/ and follow her on instagram @emuplops - during our chat she also reveals what inspired her rather unusual insta handle! 

This is last in the series of An Art to It, I will be back with more creative guests in 2025. If there is anyone you’d like to suggest as a guest for the new series please do let me know. You can follow me on instagram @elaine_dye_ and @thebyregallery - the website for the Byre Gallery is www.thebyregallery.co.uk where you can enjoy our winter exhibition and find out more about the courses and support I offer to artists and makers.