In her art and life, Emily celebrates solace, Solaz en español, in the complex beauty of the Sonoran Desert. Inspired by its countless tones & textures and the magic of rainstorms, her metalwork draws upon the flora and flow of the landscape. The hardness of the metal medium is softened by a woman’s touch and whimsy; the rustic nature is made sophisticated by intricate designs, taylored finishes and inlaid glass. Her solar Shadow LightsTM are an exploration of negative space to create unique dancing light patterns; a subtractive process of rendering a complex design from a simple square column.
After undergraduate studies at Rice University and earning a Masters in Education at the University of Arizona, Emily started welding at Pima with their Welding for Artist class. With hot days, hard work and practice, metal work emerged as the great passion and place of solaz. No longer in public education, though still teaching metalwork from her studio, she spends day and night banging away with powerful equipment to create beautiful things which she shares at her cooperative, Chris Bubany & Friends Gallery, selective art show in the Tucson area, and across the country through online sales.
Emily’s specialty is Shadow Lights™, which sell all over the continent. They are unique ornate functional art that can be made for solar or low-voltage installation. The intricate patterns plasma-cut into the sides of a 4x4” column cast enchanting designs six feet around the light. Her designs range from organic to contemporary to tapestry-like and are addictive in their distinct defined beauty of patterned light play.