The art of Emily Luyk seems to breathe with life. Glance away for a moment, and you might swear that deer twitched an ear, the elephant lifted its trunk, the honeybee glistened with a drop of honey out of the corner of your eye. Luyk draws and paints flora and fauna in vivid detail. She paints nature, big and small, and pet portraits. Her murals cover walls and floors with giant poppies and sunflowers. She is about to have her debut show.
“I loved being outside when I was little, loved being in nature,” Luyk says. “For lack of a less cheesy word, it always felt magical to me. Same thing with art. I’ve been doing that ever since I could pick up a pencil.”
Emily Luyk is a full-time illustrator, fine artist, and muralist. She earned an associate of arts degree from Grand Rapids Community College and a bachelor of fine arts from Kendall College of Art & Design, with a focus in illustration and metal working.
When an arts professor told her that he thought she would do well selling her work at art fairs, Luyk connected with other traveling artists and took part in art fairs across the country.
“It sounded kind of exciting to me, because I love travel, too,” Luyk says. “I started booking shows that I thought would be a good fit for me. It’s taken me as far east as Philadelphia, down to Florida, and Kansas City is the farthest out west.”
In her home territory, she has painted murals in Lansing and her hometown of Grand Rapids.
Luyk is also known for her detailed pet portraits, painting dogs and cats on colorful, fantastical backgrounds.
“I try to make them more personalized so it’s not just the pet,” she says.
Luyk’s art, a collection of more than 20 works titled “Where They Live,” will be on exhibit at the DeVries Gallery at Kellogg Community College in Battle Creek, from January 1st to February 13th. The gallery is open Monday through Wednesday, and Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Opening reception will be on January 23, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
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