Emily Elizabeth Melaugh
Painting
www.emelaugh.com/
My art practice uses the study of color emotion relationships, and self-portraiture as a means of correcting empathetic imbalance. I am an empath, a highly sensitive emotional person who can intuitively pick up on and read the emotions of other people. Every piece I create is in some way a self-portrait, even if it seems indirectly so. My process begins with a documentation of my thoughts and emotions in my journals and social media. By writing my emotions and dissecting them, I am better able to connect with the emotion’s purpose. The emotional overload is represented in the voices in my head; the voices can be negative or positive.
As my mental illness progresses into something in the schizophrenia spectrum, I have come to understand these voices are there to teach me a lesson. My inner monologue is my one true voice, and she does not have a “sound”, but rather appears in my mind the way that one reads a book. I acknowledge these voices and communicate with them using my art and writing as a vehicle. Once I identify these emotional voices, I write and connect with my personal color-emotion chart.
My artistic process is identifying, writing and reflecting and documenting. This leads me to more research, often research on style or technical experimentation. When the canvas is fully prepped, I the choose my color palette, referencing the emotions I documented. The most successful aspects of my art are in how I choose to expose these emotional overloads, in painting self-portraits with a limited color palette.
A reflection of Pride Love and Mania
Mature content
Betrayal of the White Sun
Le Chasse : A History of Saint Patrick's Day
This photographic narrative speaks to the flaws in antiquated Christianity by pitting its symbols against symbols of historical paganism.
Every St. Patrick’s Day I like to remind my friends that it is a somber and memorial holiday for crimes against pagans. However, I found that once I did more research, I was mistaken on the history of St. Patrick’s Day. I started my still life story board with one image, which became my last scene as my knowledge widened. Read more about this project on my website, emelaugh.com
Sleeping Beauty
Back and Forth Bipolar
Metastasis of Psychosis
Love and Self Loathing
I started this painting in February, with a euphoric feeling of love in my mind. I loved my life, my Italian partner, and my promising future. This painting was supposed to be just LOVE, a pure representation and analogous color scheme that encapsulated the many meanings of that emotion.
The second half of the painting was done in my home studio, during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot changed in that time, including self-isolation and self-loathing. I don’t really know if I love anymore.
I stayed up late and cried while painting under blue lights, which gives the painting it’s mysterious psychedelic effects. The words are voices from my own head, and the colors are a swirling array of emotions. I feel numb, depressed and angry these days.
Acrylic on Canvas
February 2020- March 2020
Snow White
My Photoshoot was based off the text “Snow White”, the original Grimms brother’s version. My color harmony used is primarily reds and sepia tones, with a complimentary green occurring in my hair.
Snow white is the tale of a beautiful princess with “skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony, with lips and cheeks as red as blood.” In this modernized version of the fairy tale, the viewer is asked to accept the fact that green is not a natural hair color. If a modern snow white were asked to protect and disguise herself from the evil queen, she would likely change her hair first.
