Emily is typically found wearing a sweatshirt and leggings, with a giant mug of coffee in hand. Her art functions as therapy as she has battled mental illness for most of her adult life. Creating is a way for her to process and heal. Emily lives in the same neighborhood she grew up in, just north of Atlanta, and is raising three boys, married to her high school sweetheart. Emily works primarily with mixed media painting in abstract minimalism. My story starts as a kid. Always drawing. Always painting. Always creating. If you asked me when I was five what I wanted to be when I grew up, I would have instinctively said “an artist.”Life didn’t go as my 5 year old self would have planned. As is for most people, there were many plan changes and detours along the way.I had a 10-year career as a hairdresser, battled extreme depression, got married and had 3 kids in three years. Despite it all, here I am at 32, pursuing my dream.When I see something beautiful, my first thought is, “How can I create that myself?” This inquisitive and creative nature fuels my entrepreneurial mindset.