Emily Malin: watercolor artist gives a glimpse into the worlds of fruit and flowers

Emily Malin is a remarkable watercolor artist who has confronted challenges beyond the imaginations of most of us, but has persevered to create a remarkable body of artwork, which is now on display in the Tufts Street Community Gallery of the Arlington Center for the Arts.

Emily will host a reception for her show on Friday, August 23, from 5-7pm in the Tufts Street Gallery, on the 2nd floor of the Arlington Center for the Arts. Please join us to celebrate a very special artist!

Emily Malin’s watercolor fruits and flowers bring a playful, joyful exuberance to the Tufts Street Community Gallery, Summer 2013

Through her watercolors, Emily provides insight into the lives of fruit, flowers, trees and animals that most of us cannot imagine. Through Emily’s artwork we find a way to let a vegetable cheer us up (as in “Beet”ing the Blues), see the wonder of a piece of fruit (as in Magnificent Mango), and enjoy the simple beauty that surrounds us. All these things Emily sees, feels and puts into her art for us to enjoy.

Emily Malin, artist

Emily’s artwork is more remarkable still given that she produces it despite a severe neurological impairment. At the age of 11, when, for most of us, the future holds nothing but promise and the days hold only leisure and an absence of worry, Emily began to show signs of the illness that would eventually lead to a life confined to a wheelchair.

Unable to speak, and with little control over the right side of her body, Emily has, for more than two decades, faced challenges that would overwhelm the best of us. Not content to survive, Emily sought out her passion and early on found that she had a talent (at the prodding of an insightful art teacher) – a talent that manifested itself when she picked up a brush.

Emily Malin, Sunflower

For more than 15 years now (about as long as she has been living on her own), Emily has been painting. Her work has hung in coffee houses, in galleries and at exhibits. She founded Emily Enterprises (which she operates with the assistance of her mother, Diane Malin) in 1998. Emily Enterprises produces, markets and sells her artwork in the form of Iris prints and note cards.

Emily’s work will be on display in the Tufts Street Gallery at the Arlington Center for the Arts through August 30, 2013.

For more information, visit Emily Malin online.

Emily Malin, Three Pretty Persimmons