Hi, all! My name is Emily Zacek. I am a drawer, painter, and have a particular interest in psychology. I am fascinated by the concept that every individual’s reality is shaped by personal experiences, beliefs, and emotions which can be shared to create relationship. This has brought me to focus my work on the moods evoked by different environments and formal elements. By stirring emotions and drawing the experiences out, I seek connection. I hope these works allow viewers to see my lens of reality while interpreting the pieces through their own perspectives, seeing the similarities between us. It’s all about relationship and connection.
As I have approached artmaking in this way, I have found that nature and landscapes often evoke some form of universal understanding, connection, and experience. I find myself exploring scenes that draw out a certain responsiveness within me, then I process what experience could have led me to respond in such a way and what experiences others may have had in a similar space. With this mindset, I depict environments using gesture, texture, and formal elements, always striving for emotion to be drawn out and a connection to be shared.
My Safe Haven series is a painted collection of meaningful places and moments for my husband and I. In our most important moments together, we have been surrounded by nature’s calm and beauty. I have cherished memories tied to each of these scenes. It is my hope that what is represented within these paintings draws memories into the mind of each viewer – moments that may have been experienced in a similar space.
Bryan Oliver Gallery At Whitworth University 