In the Studio with Artist Emily Diane Runya

Today, we are going In the Studio with artist Peter T West. His artwork is on display at our current 25th Anniversary Light show on display June 24 - August 30, 2026 in Patricia Barland Gallery.

Baltimore-based illustrator, comic artist, and writer Emily Diane Runyan creates story-driven work that blends illustration and fine art to explore science fiction, speculative fiction, and the relationship between humanity, technology, and the body. Through traditional and digital processes, she uses rich visual storytelling and experimentation to create imaginative worlds that invite reflection on the human experience.

How long have you been creating art? How did you begin?

I’ve been creative for as long as I can remember, but I started to get really serious about drawing when I was eleven or twelve. For better or for worse I grew up with the internet, which allowed me access to an endless stream of art nearly at all times, and gave me all the resources to become obsessive about getting better at the craft. Though I owe some credit to my family too– my parents always encouraged my passion for the arts. My grandfather was a fantastic decoy duck artist, so my mom was used to the whims and habits of having an artist around the house. He passed when I was still very young, but one of my earliest memories is sitting next to him, painting little wooden dinosaur models together.

What style, genre or medium of art excites you the most?

Truthfully, the whole world ignites my passion for making art, and I see inspiration everywhere in my day to day life. As an illustrator, I have a unique love for comics and sequential arts. I love to fill the roles of writer, artist, director, graphic designer, etc., and you really have to be able to do all of those jobs when you’re producing a comic by yourself. I’m a sci-fi nerd by nature too, which is self-evident in my work, but I’m excited by all sorts of genre fiction. Allegory and visual metaphor are a rich part of sci-fi, fantasy, and horror fiction, and those are the sort of narrative tools that speak to me the most.

Do you work on one piece of art at a time, or multiple?

I’m always working on several projects at a time, even sometimes against my better judgement. I find that when I start a new piece, five more ideas seem to crop up from that one out of nowhere. This is exacerbated by the fact that I’m always trying out new mediums and techniques. I might have a sewing project, a printmaking project, and several different illustration projects running at the same time. It’s chaotic, but I’m thankful that the inspiration well never seems to dry up.

When you are working through problems in your work, who do you talk to?

I’m lucky to be surrounded by so many wonderful artist friends, whose input is invaluable to me. I especially like working through problems with my friends who work in mediums different from my own. My roommate and close friend is a ceramicist, and their perspective has been so helpful to me and my work throughout our time in art school together. Their art-making process as a sculptor is pretty different from mine as an illustrator, and I find that difference creates a relationship between us where we’re able to see things the other person might not. I find one of the best things you can do as an illustrator (or as any kind of disciplinary-specific artist) is to expose yourself to all kinds of art, and find ways to fold even disparate mediums into illustration. Many of the greatest illustrators in both the contemporary and historical art world are/were also printmakers, poets, sculptors, painters, writers, musicians, and photographers.

What’s your biggest barrier to being an artist? How do you address it?

Never having enough time to make the work I want to make. Though, I think I’d still feel the same way even if I had all 24 hours in a day to dedicate to my practice. I try to create the time where I can, but it can be difficult when there are so many other things I want to do– I love working here, for example, which of course takes up time during my day. And there’s so much art I want to experience in the world myself! I have an endless list of galleries I want to visit, books to read, music to listen to, films to watch, artists to learn about. Still, I try to carve out creative time for myself everywhere I can. Sometimes I manage to wake up early and spend a few bleary-eyed hours drawing at my desk before work, or scribble out ideas on receipt paper at my retail job. I’ve become pretty good at making these in-between times count.

Emil is also Chesapeake Arts Center's wonderful Gallery Intern, helping bring our exhibitions to life behind the scenes. This fall, she'll be sharing her passion for storytelling and illustration as one of our teaching artists, leading classes for aspiring creatives of all ages. Here is a list of Emil’s upcoming classes: