Emma and her art were always intertwined, whether it was sewing her own clothes while in high school or experimenting with woodshop while studying at Parsons. To be dabbling in the creative was simply always in Emma’s nature. However, toying with colour and canvas to eventually form a full-fledged career was an experience that “stumbled into my life pretty unexpectedly,” says Emma.
As we remained at home, masked up our faces, and sanitized throughout the spring of 2020, a particular fear loomed overhead like a dark cloud. “It was that numb feeling of nothingness from the pandemic that made me look internally,” says Emma. “That’s where I found this true love for painting. I always knew art was my passion, but I had spent so long trying to find the medium that fit just right. I was living at home and would sit in my backyard all day painting flowers, just as my way of remaining sane. Then, finally, there was a click, and I knew the painting felt just right. I have never been traditionally trained in painting. I think it allows for a certain authenticity in my work. My art is essentially my diary. Everything I make is emotionally intimate. All the shapes and colours I make are tied to who I am. My body of work represents my growth and the steps I’ve taken to get to know myself. I’m not interested in painting things as they appear. I love making the first mark and improvising from there, just letting the painting take control.”
Emma’s artistic background began in illustration before paintbrushes came into the picture. A lot of her initial mark-making process for her paintings stems from that. “I learned to lean into the painterly side of the medium and how to work with oil paint. I learn something new every time I paint. I lose myself in the muscle memory of it all, with not a lot of thoughts going through my head.” Emma explained that as somebody who is a huge thinker in their day-to-day life, taking note of the blankness that comes when painting is a very meditative process. “It keeps me sane, to be honest,” says Emma.
Emma’s inspiration comes from the world surrounding her and how she chooses to navigate it. Colour in the context of life, furniture, clothing, architecture, and the women who started it all… Emma’s mom. “I come from a very creative family, my mom specifically. Growing up, she helped open my eyes to understanding colour, shade and light. She taught me how to interpret and interact with the world.” But beyond the people comes the place. The environment in which we learn and grow profoundly affects us and, therefore, the art we create. “For me, Miami is a place of growth and is deeply tied to my childhood. So that makes it sort of the perfect place to grow and explore, projecting all those feelings into my work. Plus, the bright blue skies and beautiful flowers don’t hurt. When I moved to New York, I was so excited to leave Miami, but I think I just needed to miss my home so I could appreciate it.”
Emma’s day starts at 6:45, but she tries not to go on her phone until around 9:45ish, as she finds it to be “really energetically draining.” The sun beams through Emma’s studio garage door in the mornings but leaves by about 1, so that’s when the official painting process begins. In the meantime, there is computer work, social media, bulletin boarding and other nuts and bolts of business organization to be attended to. Then after a quick lunch break (most days, the menu consists of an almond butter sandwich), Emma rolls out a big bad sheet of canvas and continues to paint from 1:00 until around 5:00. “It’s a physical process,” says Emma. But on the other hand… it’s also all about intuition. “Sometimes, the most unexpected colours or unintentional strokes work to direct the entire painting. I usually have some idea of what the painting will be but no explicit imagery. So at the beginning of every piece, I try to listen to the painting and let it tell me what it will be. I don’t reuse pallets and clean my brushes after every use; I feel like those steps allow me to reset. It gives me the chance to start each work with a fresh headspace; every day is new, even if it’s the same piece, I try to look at it with new eyes.”
How to beat the blocks of creativity? Emma says, surrender. A lot goes into making a painting; it’s emotionally, mentally and physically exhausting, so “when I don’t feel like painting, I don’t,” says Emma. “I like to take that time to do busywork, run some errands, do a little more admin, snap some pictures or hit a downward dog and do some yoga.” Art is like nature; it controls itself, and you can’t force it. “I know when things are working and when I need to step back. The high I get when everything is creatively aligned is the best feeling in the world. I go all in and embrace everything, the ebbs, the dips and the flows.” Emma continued to explain how her relationship with her art is a 2-way street, just like any other romantic or platonic relationship. It’s all about how she and her art connect; there are some down days, but those magic moments of creative high make it all worthwhile.
Emma’s relationship with her art is intimate and almost symbiotic, which means that somebody seeing and understanding Emma’s art is similar to seeing and understanding herself. “Showing someone your art is a very personal thing. I had to learn just to start putting it all out there, close my eyes, and know that whatever happened, happened.” And she’s not wrong. Whatever happens, will happen. To Emma, the real purpose of her work is not the prestige or the applause. Her goal as an artist is defined by a desire to “share the world I see around me, the world only I know. I want to spread joy and hopefully make people feel light. Painting takes me to different worlds, and I hope my art does the same for others.” All that to say, it makes sense that when I asked Emma about her ultimate career goals, she responded by saying that she “simply cannot wait to be an old lady. You know, an old lady with long white hair, somebody overflowing with the knowledge they’ve gathered throughout their career. I’m excited to share all of that and pass it down. I also, of course, want to make art forever. But not just any art, art that’s authentic and makes me feel complete”.
To stay updated on Emma Ortiz and her work, follow @emmaortizart on Instagram or check out her website emmaortizart.com.
