Artist Statement
My paintings have always been reminders.
From the moment I pick up the paint brush until the finished painting is complete – and long after, as it hangs on the wall – my paintings remind me that we are all made up of our layers; that we get to choose our perspective in any situation and in our lives; that beauty and hope are possible, even in the darkest times.
Flowers are the ultimate symbol of hope and possibility. The flower bursts forth from a tiny seed, deep beneath the surface of the earth, buried in darkness, growing through the deep dark soil into the light. Horizons are the ultimate symbol of possibility and perspective. The sky is vast, the story is ours to write and to tell; we get to choose the way we see the world.
Just as I need the bright pink post-it note on the kitchen door reminding me to bring the book, the tie, and the brownies, or the blue post-it in my car reminding me to pick up celery at the store – so too I need the notes on and in these paintings, reminding me about perseverance, patience, and love.
As I was creating these paintings, I had no way to imagine the challenges we would be facing individually, communally, and as a society in March 2020, and yet the notes on and in these paintings feel more relevant today than they were when I painted them.
I believe in hope and possibility and perspective with every fiber of my being, and still I need reminders – now more than ever. We all do.
“Do not stop, persevere, go on.”
Artist Biography
In her creative work, Emily Gaines Demsky seeks to ignite conversation around perspective through her painting, photography, and writing. Emily works in a studio in the Woodberry neighborhood in Baltimore, where she creates bold bright paintings of flowers and horizons, photographs the creative process and the natural world, and writes about gratitude, light, and wonder. Emily’s work has been shown locally in recent years at Fleckenstein Gallery, Bozzuto Greene Art, The Gordon Center Gallery, Towson Arts Collective, and The Center Club, and is held in numerous private collections in the Baltimore area.
Emily is the creator of f/LIGHT DECK, a tangible tool designed to help you choose your perspective, claim your power, and change your life. f/LIGHT DECK is made up of 28 vibrant art cards with actions, questions, and affirmations to help you focus on what’s good in your life and in the world. f/LIGHT DECK: Shift your perspective, shift your life.
In addition to her creative work, Emily has served in a variety of volunteer roles in the community, and currently serves on The Baltimore County Commission on Arts and Sciences. Emily has a professional background in arts administration, strategic planning, development, and nonprofit management. Emily holds a BA in Theater from Barnard College, Columbia University.
Emily was born and raised in Baltimore, where she lives with her husband, their two children, and a dog.
Emily’s painting, photography, and writing can be viewed online at her website (www.emilygainesdemsky.com) and on Instagram (instagram.com/shiningegg).