Biography

                                                   Emily Williams-Wheeler is a self-taught artist. She graduated with                                                                     distinction with a BA in interior design. Her artwork is collected worldwide.                                                       Known for her whimsical style, bold colors, and interesting mark-making,                                                         Williams-Wheeler plays in many media, including acrylics/graphite,                                                                   encaustics, and wire/paper sculptures. She has exhibited widely in solo and                                                      group shows. Her work is found in medical, educational, corporate, and                                                            residential installations.

Williams-Wheeler earned the prestigious award of Outstanding Artist of 2018, given by The Arts Partnership because she designed an artist residency program at West Acres Mall in Fargo. Currently, it is the only mall in America offering such an opportunity. In 2017, Williams-Wheeler’s acrylic/mixed-media painting, “Weather Permitting,” was selected for the cover of European art magazine, 1340ART, Q3. Her work was included in an article and on the website.  Her artwork has been incorporated into the architecture of new Dorothy Dodds Elementary School in Moorhead, MN, which was recently completed. She also has more than 30 paintings installed at the North American Corporate Headquarters of Horsch-Anderson Manufacturing as well as many other commercial and residential installations. She was named North Dakota Artist of the Year by the prestigious TOSCA Magazine of Minneapolis, MN. In 2018, she was a touring artist for the state through the North Dakota Art Gallery Association with her show, “Lint in My Pocket.”


Williams-Wheeler has a studio in Moorhead, MN. She has been offering creative thinking and art appreciation classes to children of all ages for nearly 15 years and leads workshops in mixed-media, encaustic painting, and creative problem solving. She lives in Fargo, ND with her amazing husband and crazy, lovable Labradoodle, Ollie. 

 

Artist Statement

I find there is an intimacy in the pull of broad paint strokes and the delicate, thoughtful line-work. I am playful in my use of color, lines, and drips. I use mark-making to leave a trail of my thought process as each piece develops. I love playing with words, so titles are very much a part of the work of art. Acrylics are paired with graphite. Encaustics (pigmented beeswax/natural resin) are sculptural. When creating 3-dimensional works, I use wire and mulberry paper, concrete, or clay.

I sketch. I paint. I carve. I scrape. I build. I reveal.