ARTIST STATEMENT
My work is about experiencing divine moments in the here and now. My figure paintings are connected spiritually to the present moment. I was raised as a Midwest Catholic. My family and I spent every Sunday morning at church. Mass was long and slow, and uninspiring to me. Instead, I worshipped the sunlight coming through the stained glass windows. The illumination of light through the colored glass was my first encounter with the sublime. The illuminated moments in the windows were beautiful and perfect. Even the one depicting sinners burning in the flames of hell! Memories of glowing light coming through the colored glass resonated with me and have stayed with me since.
I imagine my paintings exist in a little atheist church. I want the viewer to look at these beautiful moments inspired by my life with light coming through, as my personal stained glass windows. My work depicts illuminated figures existing in moments of connection within their environments. They celebrate the way that light illuminates the translucence of nature all around us. I find transcendence these moments of connection. These moments are sacred and I try to make them glow.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Emily Pfaff lives and works in Forest Park, Il. She received her BFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006. She has worked professionally in numerous areas of the arts and has worked extensively on collaborative commissions for film and television. Her work has been seen on platforms like Netflix, Tru TV, and Funny or Die. In 2022 she created a piece for Paul Schrader’s film “Master Gardener”, which was then featured on Architectural Digest. Her paintings hang in private collections across the country, in addition to public and corporate spaces, including a resident commission at the Chicago Board of Exchange. Most recently her work was featured at Rhett Baruch Gallery in Los Angeles. She can also be heard speaking about her transition from commission work to fine art in the fifth season of the popular art podcast “I Like Your Work” with Erica b Hess.
© Emily Pfaff