Emily Bourassa is a Los Angeles based artist and illustrator educated at UCLA and RISD, and is currently earning her M.F.A. from SCAD.

"I was never an artist growing up, simply because I thought I was terrible at drawing and needn’t bother to learn. I moved in the direction of other creative pursuits- acting, dancing, knitting, reading- all the while, insanely jealous of anyone who was drawing and painting with ease. I knew it was just too late for me to learn. 

At age 37, knee deep in Covid quarantine, I realized that I had better make the most of this one and only life and now move in the direction of the things I had been avoiding. Drawing, painting, making art flowed out of me with an insatiable desire to keep going. 

Suddenly, things started to make sense. I’ve always been someone who likes to dive deep with my interests, this time it was close examination of my favorite things to paint- vegetables on the cutting board that are about to be dinner. An insect we found in the yard. Seashells! So. Many. Seashells. Everything in nature is insanely beautiful without even trying to be, and with my brush in hand, I can turn the volume up on that little bit of unexpected color that might otherwise go unnoticed. Or turn down the texture on an object that might otherwise overwhelm, blurring together in our minds. I decide what the most interesting bits are, and highlight them. Just as I do in other areas of my life- noticing complex things and then simplifying or synthesizing them for myself so that they start to feel effortless. 

I work mostly in watercolor, it’s the most peaceful of media for me, although I like to do a little bit of everything. At the moment, my favorite challenge is to work start to finish with just one medium. This can prove tricky when adding details at the end!"