Emilie was born and raised in San Jose, California, by her mother Gina and her father Jeff. She has two younger sisters who are her best friends. Emilie is driven, detail-oriented, and organized. She has played the piano for 13 years: from kindergarten through senior year of high school. Emilie has been an artist ever since she could hold a crayon, winning cookbook cover contests and art shows since the first grade.
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The outdoors is where she feels most alive. Emilie likes to fill her sense of adventure with beach trips, swimming, hiking, kayaking, or simply just driving with the windows down—anything that will allow her to be surrounded by fresh air. It is outdoors where she likes to experiment with photography, working to combine the lighting with the beauty of nature. Her love for the earth has influenced her worldviews, and she makes efforts to save the environment through mindful consumerism.
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Emilie is strongly devoted to her faith as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Her involvement with her youth group has cultivated within her a strong desire to serve others. She recently returned from a humanitarian expedition to Ecuador, where she built a sewage system and taught English at an orphanage. She hopes to continue this trend of compassion throughout her life.
ABOUT
ARTIST STATEMENT
My artwork features environmental elements such as water, landscapes, and Earth’s natural beauty. Environmental protection and sustainability are themes that underlie my pieces. I hope to communicate the wonders of the outdoors through stylistic representations that incorporate aesthetic and minimalistic qualities.
The overall vision for my pieces is to raise environmental awareness through aesthetically tasteful designs. I feel most alive when I am outdoors: I fulfill my thirst for adventure by immersing myself in the outdoors, often via high-adventure activities. Experimentation with photography in nature feeds my imagination when it comes to designing artwork. My love for the earth has influenced my worldviews, and these are evident through my art. In recent years, my art has focused on water—the various forms it embodies, the moods it communicates, and how it can be used to express commonly felt emotions. I am broadening my incorporation of the elements in my art by exploring the outdoors as a whole. This includes mountains, landscapes, national parks, and natural wonders of the world. My work is recognizable and identifiable because of the emphasis on line and the stylistic qualities they have. I create balance and contrast through my use of value and overall design layout. My use of color incorporates earthy tones; textures are modeled after those observed from the natural world. It is my intention for those who view my art to develop not only an appreciation for the beauty of the Earth, but ignite genuine passion for and interest in preserving that beauty.
My artworks incorporate elements and principles of design to create impactful and awe-inspiring pieces. Individuals can become more aware of the planet and its pure beauty through art that influences them to be more mindful of their lifestyles and raises awareness of how our choices affect the environment.
EXPECTED GRADUATION — MAY 2021
UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC — STOCKTON, CA
ARTISTIC INFLUENCES
BACHELOR OF FINE ARTS
EDUCATION
As an artist, my work is heavily inspired by Jonas Claesson and Silvia Pelissero. Both watercolor artists, they offer techniques that I have applied to my personal art. In particular, Claesson's work reflects a minimalist, graphic style that I like to incorporate into my projects when I can. He is masterful at line drawing and watercolor techniques such as wet into wet and controlled washes. As for Pelissero (better known as Agnes Cecile), her gorgeous watercolor paintings remind me to take risks and be bold. Her renderings communicate realism amidst whim. Both artists produce awe-inspiring work.
AGNES CECILE
JONAS CLAESSON
Click on the images to visit Jonas Claesson's website.