Emma Tysinger​​​​​​​

Artist Statement

My work is primarily focused on the exploration and development of the artistic process, with a focus on experimentation with materials, such as paint, pastels, and charcoal. A lot of my pieces explore themes of anxiety and depression, and the act of creating often acts as therapy, to ease my struggle with both, as I find verbal communication tends to fail me too often. I take interest in the unconscious mind, and how that affects what I do in the studio. To explore the unconscious mind, I often make marks instinctively to begin with, and as that develops, I become aware of what’s happening on the canvas and begin to expand upon it. By relying on instinct, I feel I am able to explore the thoughts and feelings that exist outside of the conscious awareness. Mixed media pieces tend to pair well with this creative process, as it doesn’t confine an artist to one medium, and offers more opportunity for spontaneity.

The work I create is not all heavy unpacking of the subconscious, though. I enjoy engaging in studio-play, and use the instinctive methods to create art that is playful and humorous at times. Fundamentally, my work exists to portray the concept of being, without attempting to reach predetermined expectations set by outside influences, without attempting to please. I strive to create work that doesn’t always have to tell a story. I like to think of my art as a mirror, with each viewer being able to see their own interpretation and derive their own personal meanings from the pieces.

Art is never mutually exclusive from the environment or person it was created by, and as a result, is influenced by many factors. My work is strongly influenced by abstract expressionism, by artists such as Mark Rothko and Jackson Pollock, whose time spent developing the artistic process fascinates me. I developed a fascination with deconstructivism during my undergraduate course of study, and two pieces I often refer to for inspiration are Erased de Kooning by Robert Rauschenberg and Bull by Picasso.

Music is also a major factor in my work. Two musical influences I admire are David Byrne and Bjork. Their ability to not shy away from experimentation and reaching new heights is something I can strive to do with my own work. Aside from his work with the Talking Heads and his solo work, David Byrne’s philosophies on creativity, humanity, and art keep my mind constantly engaged in thinking critically about the world around me. I think about how everything in the world is connected in some way and how everything has a tendency to influence everything around it. Media, books, music, conversations, nature, art, advertising, it all affects each other. Creativity builds on itself, and it’s important to be attentive and pay attention to the way things influence us and our work.