MURAL MAKERS
Jaguar in Scuba Helmet
Mural Artist: Emily White
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Share this article
Over the summer, I was a part of the Front Street Walls revamp. There are several walls along Front St in Fishtown that usually get updated every year, but haven’t for a few years due to the pandemic. Streets Dept and MAP organized a few artists to paint new murals and I was lucky to be one of the chosen artists. This was one of the first murals I’ve painted where I was in total control of the subject matter, which was super exciting.
Lately, I keep returning to the imagery of big cats in antique scuba helmets. To me, the diving helmet represents human influence, a heavy burdensome thing. The rise of industry and technology alters our native landscapes and is threatening to wipe out wildlife. Human industry and innovation has consequences – the extinction of species, habitat loss, and climate change are some of them. I love that this piece has a rather bleak meaning to me, but the colorful background doesn’t make it feel so heavy.
About the Mural:
Name: Jaguar in Scuba Helmet
Size: 17.5’ x 12’
Products used: Primed Polytab cloth painted with Golden Mural & Theme Paint, adhered with Golden Mural Adhesive Gel
See it at:
1601 N Front Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
About the Maker
I’m Emily White. I’m originally from the Boston area, but I’ve been living in Philadelphia for 11 years. I got my BFA from Massachusetts College of Art and Design in Boston. I actually majored in sculpture – I have a storage space full of life-sized large-scale animal sculptures to show for it! I’ve always loved creating things larger than me, so painting murals was a logical progression.
Once I moved to Philly and saw the abundance of murals, I dreamed of some day becoming a muralist. Many of Philly’s murals are facilitated by Philadelphia Mural Arts Program (MAP), so in 2013, I participated in their summer internship. I’ve been painting murals full time ever since! In the beginning of my career I primarily worked as an assistant for MAP, and then I slowly transitioned to creating more and more of my own murals. I started my own company in 2021, White Knuckle Painting, and I’ve been designing and painting murals and signs independently.
I have a really broad range of mural work, from realistic portraits of people or animals to crisp graphics. I’m happiest when I’m able to combine the two!
In addition to murals, I’m also a studio artist and I regularly show pieces in galleries. Once I painted a mural in an art gallery and bridged the gap between my two creative endeavors – something that doesn’t happen often. My studio art practice is more refined. I’m almost always painting animals.
Are there any particular causes or messages you like to champion through your public art?
My studio art is about the relationship between humans and wildlife. It explores how “nature” has been redefined due to human influence. Most of my work has environmental undertones. These themes repeat often in my gallery art, but I don’t get many opportunities to express them via mural work. I’d love to find an outlet for more environmentally themed work!
Do you have any other projects coming up that you’d like to share anything about?
I’m currently working on paintings for my solo show “Waters Rising” at Arch Enemy Arts, a gallery in Philly. Also, I was recently asked to come back onboard a Virgin Voyages cruise ship to paint my second mural with them!
See more of Emily White’s work:
Instagram: @gggreatwhite
Facebook: facebook.com/emilywhiteart
You might also be interested in:
Follow @GPWMuralPaints on social for more featured murals, events and more,
or head to our store to shop our Mural & Theme products.
