Emily Otterman is an artist who preserves & celebrates what matters most through artwork
original enCaustiC panels
Luscious beeswax and photographic montages combine to make beautiful original artwork on birch panels. New collections continually evolve.
There’s a new piece in the Abscission Collection!
About this artwork
Resurgence
It’s November in 2021, and there I stood motionless, looking down at a bed of golden Ginkgo leaves surrounding my feet.
I’ve long loved the beauty of this particular leaf, its curvature, grace and simplicity have always intrigued me as an artist.
What I didn’t realize before that day in November was the depth of meaning behind the Ginkgo tree and its leaves. I’d been grappling with difficult circumstances and emotions after learning of my husband's diagnosis of a rare neurological disease a few months prior and learned the tree symbolizes strength, survival and hope. Then, the Ginkgo’s characteristics: it has existed for hundreds of millions of years, one tree typically lives a thousand or more years, it has survived the destructive atomic bomb of Hiroshima. And that it goes through the abscission process - losing its leaves - all at once, usually in one day.
The fact that I stood in those leaves on the exact day they fell was significant. It felt aligned with what I was experiencing due to my husband's rapid decline and the resulting changes in my life.
I needed those leaves and what they stood for more than ever.
In time, I began creating designs incorporating the Ginkgo leaf into my artwork, trying to express my own emotions, while thinking of others in difficult situations such as my own. We need to hear words of encouragement and know we’re strong and resilient despite the challenges we face.
This artwork is part of the Abscission Collection, titled Resurgence. There are real leaves embedded into the surface, ones I “harvested” from a local tree. I hope it speaks to you and you find joy in knowing you have strength, resilience and most of all, hope.
XO
Abscission Collection
Deck Chair Collection
The Gratitude Collection
Photo-encaustic artwork honoring WW2 Canadian Veterans and the citizens who are deeply grateful for their sacrifices. Inspired by a trip to the Netherlands taken with my 90 year old father to celebrate 70 years of Liberation.
now & Then custom images
A Now & Then Custom Fine Art Print helps you celebrate the relationships in your life that matter most.
Combining your photographs of present and past, Emily works with you to discover and preserve the essence of you or your loved ones, creating a sophisticated, lasting image.
“Your artwork, presentation and composition are beyond gorgeous!”
“I don’t know what to say… it is absolutely beautiful and is a testament to the love we’ve shared over the years. Thank you for capturing it in such a sophisticated way for us!”
“His eyes welled with tears when he saw the image. That’s the same cap he wore when he went overseas”