Translating the sky

From Oregon to her current home in Glenwood, Emily McQueen says she’s always been an artist. It just took a while to find the right fit.

As a part of Creston Arts’ monthly galleries, Emily McQueen presents her work for the month of August in a gallery titled “Luster (Loess-ter).” A closing reception will take place Aug. 29 from 6-8 p.m.

McQueen’s artwork, capturing skyscapes inspired by visuals of Iowa’s own horizon, require a level of translation from the real world to the canvas. Since moving to Iowa, McQueen said she’s been fascinated by the colors of Iowa’s sky, especially when the sun is setting.

“Whenever the haze comes in when the sun sets, that’s very distinct,” McQueen said. “It’s how the colors act compared to other places in the country and the world. It looks like a reverse rainbow. It’s fun to paint; take a rainbow and shove it to the sky, especially in summer and fall sunsets.”

McQueen, growing up as a mom in her 20s and 30s while also managing kids as an elementary art teacher, has lived around art her whole life. However, it wasn’t until a friend offered her ownership of the Fine Arts on Fifth Gallery and Studio in Malvern in 2021 where she fully cemented her outward identity as a full-time artist.

While painting, McQueen said she works faster than most artists. After being inspired by a picture she takes of the skyline, McQueen makes an impression of the landscape, then translates and reiterates as she paints. The result is a portrait that is undoubtedly familiar, even in an interpretive format.

“I’m working with very broad strokes,” McQueen said. “I’ll have an impression and experience with something and then translate it through my own filters. Then, I’ll recreate it in my own interpretation.”

One part of interpretation comes from various pieces made of stained glass. As McQueen uses bright stained glass to create mosaics, the recognition of Iowa skyscapes is still intact, even in a different mode.

Nostalgia plays a strong part in the McQueen’s art. Some of McQueen’s pieces in her Creston exhibit are completed in an embroidery hoop frame. The unique circular frame isn’t just replicating a window to nature; it allows for McQueen to connect her work to her childhood.

“Using the frames came out of a desire to bring home to my art,” McQueen said. “I have memories doing embroidery as a child. Bringing an embroidery hoop around a skyscape, it gives a sense of purity.”

As she’s transitioned to a studio space and allowed herself to create more focused pieces, McQueen said she found herself drawn to collections. She said each piece in collection add together to create a story.

One of McQueen’s projects this year was a 25-piece collection of cardinals, each in a square canvas with the scarlet songbird in different poses. While McQueen herself will say the cardinals can be redundant, they have a special place in her heart.

“I lost my brother to a stroke a year ago,” McQueen said. “I like remembering him, maybe not in the things he did, but I like remembering him and his personality traits. Those different poses in the cardinals, each of them connect my brother to me.”

Having that personal connection and never being afraid to find creativity has helped McQueen fully embrace her own art. Her advice to other aspiring artists? Focus first on quantity over quality.

“I know the limitations,” McQueen said. “Usually I opt toward an open studio environment where it’s self-directed. It’s intuitive but not micro-managed. Over time you can gain quality, but first you have to loosen up.”