Artist Spotlight: Mark Demsteader + Emma Watson

When Emma Watson asked renowned artist Mark Demsteader if she could buy a few of his works as a gift to herself for her 21st birthday, he one-upped her by asking if he could paint her portrait. Not once, not twice . . . but 34 times. Demsteader intended these works to act as snapshots of sorts, each one a testament to Emma’s past, her present, and (most importantly) her future.  The collection—aptly titled Emma—features life drawings of the starlet done in everything from gouache and oil to ink and charcoal. Fans of both Watson and Demsteader can check out the duo’s collaboration when Emma opens to the public at the Panter & Hall Gallery on Bury Street in London on June 15, 2011. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to CAMFED International, a charity that supports the education and economic empowerment of young women in Africa.