Emily Pfaff Bio

Emily Pfaff lives and works in Forest Park, Il. She received her BFA in painting from the Savannah College of Art and Design in 2006. She has worked professionally in numerous areas of the arts and has worked extensively on collaborative commissions for film and television. Her work has been seen on platforms like Netflix, Tru TV, and Funny or Die. In 2022 she created a featured piece for Paul Schrader’s film “Master Gardener”. Her paintings hang in private collections across the country, in addition to public and corporate spaces, including a resident commission at the Chicago Board of Exchange. Most recently her work was featured at Rhett Baruch Gallery in Los Angeles.

Above: EMILY PFAFF, Pre Storm Study. Oil on canvas, 12 x 16 inches 

“I was raised as a mid-west catholic. Mass was long and slow and uninspiring to me. Instead, I worshiped the sunlight coming through the stained-glass windows. The illumination of light through the colored glass was my first encounter with the sublime.

Everything became a stained-glass window to me. I really related that to light passing through skin, and light passing through leaves.

I kind of started making a connection between the natural world and the divinity that the catholic church stained-glass windows project. It’s all around us…The idea of heaven is all around us all the time and we can experience it in small moments in our real life if we take the time to notice.” -- Emily Pfaff

Above: EMILY PFAFF, Nasturtium Abstract. Acrylic on canvas, 24 x 18 inches 

EDUCATION

2006   Savannah College of Art and Design, Bachelor of Fine Art, Savannah, GA

EXHIBITIONS

2022   Twinkle, Twinkle, Rhett Baruch Gallery, Los Angeles CA

           Perfect Imperfections, Women United Art Movement, Virtual (curated by Erika b Hess)

           Build the Future, Throop Studio, Chicago, IL

2021   Purposed For This Moment, Virtual, Chicago, IL

2020   Stories Around the Sun: 365 + 1, Revel Motor Row, Packard Ballroom, Chicago, IL

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

2022   Commission for film "Master Gardener" directed by Paul Schrader, New Orleans, LA

          Collaboration for CDC commercial spot, painting rental (6 pieces), Chicago, IL

2021   Collaboration for "The Card Counter" directed by Paul Schrader, digital  prints, Los Angeles, CA

          Collaboration for Disney Wellness, commercial spot, digital prints, Los  Angeles CA

2019   Commission for Frosted Flakes, commercial spot, Chicago, IL               

          Commission for Glucerna, commercial spot, Chicago, IL

          Commission for Merrick Dog Food commercial spot (2 pieces) Chicago, IL

2018   Collaboration with Kevin Barry Art Advisory, Installation design/finish for hotel, Phoenix, AZ

2017   Commissions for "Adam Ruins Everything', Season 3, Ep 16,"Adam Ruins the Future*

          Commission for "Adam Ruins Everything", Season 2, Ep 5, "Adam Ruins Art"

2016   Commissions for "Adam Ruins Everything', Season 1, Ep 15, "Adam Ruins Weddings"

2015   Commission for "Bad Night" directed by Chris Riedell and Nick Riedell,  "Boy Peeing on Flowers"

2014   Commission for "Every Morning" by J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.) featuring Fred Armisen (music video)

2009-14   Production and Design for Artisan House (C. Jere), Los Angeles, CA

2009   Commission, CAV for Board Of Trade Building, "Open Outcry", Chicago, IL

COLLECTIONS

2022   Joey King (Actress/Producer) and Steven Piet (Director/Producer) Sherman Oaks, CA

           Lydia Whitlock (Writer), Los Angeles, CA

           Eleanor Donnelly, Moultrie GA

           Dr. Arvydas Vanagunas, Chicago,IL Brent Kiser, Los Angeles, CA

ARTIST STATEMENT

“I love moving paint around surfaces”