We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emilia Van Ert a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Emilia, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. One of the toughest things about progressing in your creative career is that there are almost always unexpected problems that come up – problems that you often can’t read about in advance, can’t prepare for, etc. Have you had such and experience and if so, can you tell us the story of one of those unexpected problems you’ve encountered?
I received a diagnosis of bipolar disorder and autism in my 20’s. When I was manic I would get so much artwork done because I wasn’t sleeping. Then I wouldn’t be able to get out of my bed for 2 weeks because of a depressive episode. Throughout my creative journey I have dealt with the extremes of bipolar disorder. At times it has helped me, but overall it has been my biggest struggle. In the beginning of 2022 I had surgery to get a tumor (Nerve sheath tumor) removed from my right (dominant) arm. I had severe pain leading up to that and was unable to create for 6 months.
Emilia, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
My name is Emilia Van Ert and I’m an artist living in Sioux Falls, SD. I primarily focus on painting with my craft but I also do drawing and photography work. I originally went to college for music then switched to art my junior year. My mom is an artist and I grew up watching her paint and I think that’s what really inspired me to become an artist. My work is mostly described as realistic and i enjoy putting in as much detail as possible, especially in my paintings. I have been working extremely hard for a few years now and I feel like things are finally paying off. I had my first solo show and I have another show coming up in the spring that I’m preparing for. My focus has mostly been huge flower blossoms the past few years but I would like to create more still-lifes. My paintings are large, my largest painting was 6′ tall and I think that sets me apart from many other painters,
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
After only creating art full-time for a short period, I had a major set back. I had a tumor in my arm that grew very rapidly. During that time my arm was sore and if i accidentally bumped the tumor, it would send a huge jolt of pain down my arm. This is the arm I create with and eventually I wasn’t really able to paint at all. As a result of that I didn’t have much income coming in and it was a huge stress on me. It was extremely frustrating not being able to create art. I was discouraged and felt like things wouldn’t get better. In January 2022 I had surgery to have it removed and spent some time recuperating . It took some time but eventually my business took off again and I’m now fully recovered and looking forward to the future.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being an artist is the opportunity to communicate your feelings/views/beliefs through your work. It is also amazing hearing what other people get out of your work. I often get the opportunity to meet other people and creatives by being an artist as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.emiliavanertart.com
- Instagram: @emiliavanert
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilia.vanert