Daily Inspiration: Meet Emily Roynesdal

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Roynesdal

Hi Emily, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I was always encouraged to be creative, but I never considered myself to be an artist. I did a lot of drawing and played the piano, but most of my interests lied in science so I spent a lot of time reading and researching how things worked. I didn’t realize I had a true passion for art until the end of my sophomore year of college at Drake University, so after several semesters of science classes I eventually shifted my focus. I immersed myself in an intense multi-disciplinary fine arts program that focused on technique, but eventually went on to include conceptual theory and this set the stage for what has driven most of my art practice since then. I graduated with a B.F.A. in painting, and moved to Chicago where, aside from New York, I have spent the majority of my adult life until moving to Colorado a little over a year ago.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I chose to be an artist because it was one of the most challenging things I could have ever done, knowing it would require a great deal of commitment and sacrifice. I was never expecting it to be easy or to find success in any typical standard, but I feel it has been very rewarding and it forced me to define my own path. I feel being an artist means you can do anything – my desire to create art has led me to work in different industries and even run my own business. I have been very fortunate to have very supportive mentors, friends and family that have encouraged me along the way.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have worked in various mediums, but my passion is painting and it is what I continue focus my energy on. It is where I have developed the greatest skill and have been able to communicate my ideas and images most effectively. The majority of my work has concentrated on personal and public spaces over the course of time, attempting to capture human behavior and emotion. I have spent a lot of time in New York since the time I was a child, so I think that greatly influenced my focus on the urban landscape and its inhabitants. Most of my work overlaps and one series informs the next, and my recent paintings have evolved to exaggerate movement through abstraction. I recently completed a residency at the Boulder Creative Collective and now have an art studio in Denver.

In terms of your work and the industry, what are some of the changes you are expecting to see over the next five to ten years?
I have been intrigued by the Denver area’s interest and support of the arts, as well as the energy of the artistic community as a whole. People are very genuine and make an effort to work together and help each other. I think the past year has shown how hard it is to predict anything, but I see so much potential here and I think it’s an exciting place to be.

Contact Info:

• Email: eroynesdal@gmail.com
• Website: https://www.roynesdal.com
• Instagram: @esr.studio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Emily-Roynesdal-590840367615339

Image Credits:
Boulder Creative Collective for the photo of me being photographed.