You may recognise her work from what was supposed to be the centre-fold of last week's Critic (sorry about that one team) or have been blown away by the immaculate Instagram feed that she has cultivated. Emma Millburn is the genius behind EKM Virtual Studios. Her most recent artistic venture has gained her the most traction yet, painting 100 spots from around Ōtepoti Dunedin.
The idea first came to fruition in July of 2024. Emma bulk-ordered 100 canvases from a Kiwi producer (support local baby!), confiding in Critic that seeing the daunting Jenga tower of canvases arrive at her door was “paralysing”. Her first project was painting the Dunedin Railway Station, the alleged second most photographed building in the Southern Hemisphere (keep that one in the vault for your next pub quiz). Emma has completed 12 out of 100 pieces so far, with subjects including The Bog, Taieri Valley, The Long Dog Café, and the railway bridge of Dunedin’s Harbourside Track.
Emma doesn't claim to be a tortured artist, but instead derives her inspiration from the sense of nostalgic bewilderment of the historic city and surrounding landscapes. Although she was born in the US, Emma considers Dunedin her hometown, spending ages 4 to 11 in the foggy fringe. After a decade-long retreat to New Mexico, Emma used her undergraduate degree in Management as an excuse to return to the Edinburgh of the South. Emma grew up sheltered from Otago’s student culture and arrived ready and raring to revisit her favourite childhood spots around Dunedin. Emma was flabbergasted to hear people referring to Dirty Dunners as a “shithole” (clearly ignorance is bliss). Maybe her younger self thought that the glass lining the street was just glitter? Emma said that she was motivated to start her 100 paintings project because “people don't appreciate Dunedin enough.”
Emma humbly told Critic that she chose the name EKM Virtual Studios because “I couldn't get into any galleries so I was gonna make my own.” Water-mixable oil paints are used to paint her impressionist masterpieces. These are the same tools that iconic TV art instructor Bob Ross uses, who Emma cheekily referred to as her ‘God’. While it has taken her up to a month to complete some of her paintings, a fact she mainly pins on perfectionism and procrastination, she is working towards streamlining the process to take under a week.
For someone who claims to “hate” Instagram, she’s done a pretty bloody good job curating it. Her account has gained over 1000 followers since she first posted in January of last year. On her profile, you’ll find all of her paintings, alongside behind-the-scenes content and sneak peaks for future projects. For each carousel post, she spills that she has been known to spend over an hour trying to find a song that “matches the vibe”. Fellow Ōtepoti appreciator, professional yapper, and Critic staff writer Molly Soppet describes scrolling through Emma’s Instagram page (AKA stalking) as an “auditory immersive experience,” that captures the charm of Dunedin.
Constantly scheming for her next big idea, Emma uses Canva Whiteboard, an online mind-mapping tool, to get the creative juices flowing. “Canva Whiteboard is my hoe,” she gushes. She uses the tool to create storyboards for Instagram reels, brainstorm new post ideas, and flesh out upcoming projects (let her cook!). One of her bolded headings on the whiteboard reads “six-month plan,” showing that there is some method behind the madness.
“If people have any ideas of places that I should paint, please let me know,” Emma requests. She likes to highlight places that show off the character of Dunedin and are associated with meaningful stories. Intending to build up a portfolio of work, she is open to taking on commissions and partnering with companies on her platform. Watch this space.
Check out Emma’s Instagram @ekmvirtualstudios where she posts all of her art. Use her Linktree to access her website and Etsy.