Emily Wise (born 1988, Baltimore, MD) received her BFA from the Pacific Northwest College of Art in Portland, OR, where she currently lives and works. Wise's paintings explore female archetypes that blur the line between reality and the surreal. A feminine connection to fable has existed throughout human history, as the female form pops up again and again in myth and monster tales alike. Storytelling binds us together and informs who we become as much as our bloodlines do, and the intermingling of these forces can create beautiful mystical realities.
Wise shares a vibrance and unmistakable joie de vivre with her lush, colorful body of work. She employs her sharp curiosity to build worlds behind her paintings. After completing her education, she always found the time to dedicate to honing her craft and mastering her own technique. Years of other pursuits made it obvious that painting as a mere hobby was not an option. She draws from a cache of memories, experiences, and stories to weave together a narrative for each piece. Wise carefully collages different ideas and imagery, layering them together until a rich tapestry emerges. Each work is akin to the act of telling a story, felt through intuitive emotion instead of words. Though the audience has limited access to the seeds of thought buried in each layer, what blossoms on the canvas invites us to read between the lines and continue the story in our own curated worlds.
The intense contrast in Wise's paintings creates a wonderful kaleidoscopic effect, adding to the dimension of overlapping and intersecting shapes and colors. Seeking to preserve a sanctity in carefully crafting a piece, Wise begins with sketches; a thoughtful planning provides a framework for emotion and intuition to bloom off of. Saturated pigments lend a playfulness and surrealism to imagery that we otherwise find familiar and nostalgic: scenes of intimacy, of figures comfortable in their natural states, of cherished coexistence.
An avid consumer of the richness of life, Wise allows us a glimpse into a universe that lies just beneath the surface. Boundless curiosity invites us deeper, and lifts the storytelling in her paintings up off the canvas and radiating into our worldly senses.
Exploring themes related to femininity, intimacy, and the mysteries of the natural world, her paintings have been featured in national publications such as Juxtapoz and Artsy. In 2023, she was listed by Artsy as Artist to Watch. She has exhibited across Portland at ChefasProjects, Fishbowl Gallery, c3 Initiative and ADX Gallery, with an upcoming solo at Chefas Projects in June 2024. She was featured for the first time with DTLA based gallery Simard Bilodeau Contemporary at Future Fair in New York City May 2024.
