Emily Kalwaitis

Edge of Innocence
acrylic wash on paper
25 x 20 in. framed

I am interested in that which is half-hidden and mysterious. I’m drawn to subtle emotional states, barely perceivable, fleeting and unsubstantial. I’m drawn to things that fade.

My works center around female figures, both women and young girls, and they are greatly influenced by dreams, fairytales and childhood memories. The images often evolve from an impression left by a dream or a suddenly recalled early experience. My interest in fairytales comes mostly from deeply connecting to them as a child, especially those in which the main character is a female who, faced with limitations, prevails because of her purity and endurance.

I’m inspired by Kiki Smith, Joseph Cornell and Virginia Woolf.

© Emily Kalwaitis