Emily Cook, Contemporary Painting
Emily Cook is a painter, jeweler and physician whose passion for art and science fuels her work, no matter the discipline. Currently focused on oil and acrylics, Cook paints landscape and floral works that blur the lines between realism and abstraction with textured surfaces and loosely discernible forms. Utah’s looming horizon lines and wandering canyons inspire a sense of drama and energy in her mountain series, which is balanced by her delicate botanicals washed in soft color. “Each idea manifests in its own individual style,” says Cook of her varied subject matter and mediums.
Originally from Scottsdale, Arizona, Cook was drawn to the arts from a very young age and enrolled herself in adult painting classes – including nude figure drawing – when she was just twelve years old. Her artistic inclinations stayed with her through high school and then in college at Brigham Young University (BYU), where she received a scholarship to study fine art. After graduating, Cook pursued further studies in gemology, seeking a profession as a jeweler and integrating her interest in science as she experimented with rocks and metal working. While she loved the work and still considers herself a “rock hound,” Cook came to a dead end within the job market and decided to shift to a profession with a more stable income – while still satisfying her interests. Meeting her desire to help others and explore more scientific study, Cook decided to attend medical school at Midwestern University in Arizona and is now a family care physician in Ogden.
Even with a demanding day job, Cook remains committed to her art career and enjoys the balance of the two disciplines. Her approach to medicine is similar to her philosophy as an artist, as she uses both platforms to inspire creativity in others. “Being creative can allow people to feel better about themselves,” she says. “So I like to encourage my patients who are struggling to follow a dream they’ve given up, or to pursue something creative.”
This desire has also led Cook to encourage people in her personal life – from children to adults – to pursue art, surrounding herself with their creative energy as well as her own. At The Monarch, Cook will share her creative space with her cousin Rachel Beall, a self-taught jeweler, and friend Angelina Ungaren, a self-taught encaustic and watercolor painter. Cook also plans to host healing art classes and jewelry making in the space. “It’s such a freeing feeling to create, so I like to include other people with the work that I’m doing and inspire others to be creative with me.”
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