Unique & Colorful Artwork by Artist Emily Lupita
The next painting in my “Growing Wild Plums” series.
Lupita and Mavi Canning Corn
By Emily Lupita ©️ 2020
About the Series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustrations for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
The next painting in my “Growing Wild Plums” series.
Lupita and Mavi by the Hammock Under the Pear Trees.
By Emily Lupita ©️ 2020
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustrations for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
The next painting in my “Growing Wild Plums” series.
Lupita and Mavi in the Living Room in Winter.
By Emily Lupita ©️ 2020
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
About the “Growing Wild Plums” series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustrations for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my art project.
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
Lupita & Mavi Encounter a Rainbow
“Growing Wild Plums” series 2020
By Emily Lupita
About the “Growing Wild Plums” series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustrations for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my art project.
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
About the “Growing Wild Plums” series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustrations for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my art project.
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
About the “Growing Wild Plums” series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustrations for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my art project.
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
This painting has stayed in my mind and worked itself out over some time. I’ve been trying different designs to combine my Lupita paintings with my childhood memories. This one felt different as soon as I drew it. I’m excited!
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
This is one of my favorites! It’s a beautiful memory I have of going to the Des Moines Botanical Garden when I was little. We didn’t go very many places, so this was a real treat.
The big glass dome filled with incredible plants and flowers was like a wonderland. I think part of my desire to travel the world came from reading the descriptions of the plants here and wanting to go see them in the wild.
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
This painting makes me smile. We had some good times sledding out there on the hill in the depths of winter. I wanted to show how completely empty and stark the landscape could look in winter. Yet there we were out in the middle of the emptiness having a fantastic time. Our dogs were experts at sledding and I think it was the highlight of their year to go sliding down the hill with us. The wind in their ears and excitement on everyone’s faces as we went down is something I’ll never forget.
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
There’s nothing like a gorgeous cloudy day in the countryside. When we were little, my brothers and I would climb up into the loft of the hay barn. And then we’d scoot along the edge of the loft and pull each other up onto the roof of the barn. Then we’d relax up there and watch the clouds go by. We’d call out shapes we’d see in the clouds and make up names for interesting clouds that went by. Of course, our loyal dogs would wait for us at the base of the barn.
Of course now that I have little kids of my own, I shutter at the thought of them doing something like this. I remember Mom running up and yelling at us to get down if she caught us up there. But it’s such a beautiful memory for me. Some time in the sky with my brothers.
(This is the drawing after the initial sketching. Painting coming soon.)
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
Painting #3:
A scene from our living room out on the hill. Always a loyal good dog nearby. Art and color everywhere. My mother’s paintings 🖼 on the walls. She won many art prizes over the years. Her iris paintings even won best in show. I would sit and try to make art like she did, but my paintings looked different. I’ve always had my own style and I’m lucky to have an artist mom who encouraged me to paint in my own way. This painting is the closest thing to how I remember that room in my childhood home. This is how I see the world.
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
My series continues with the third painting now in-progress. It started as a sketch from my memory of using my mom’s art supplies to paint at our big table in the dining room.
Then I made several new sketches and came up with the final dimensions.
Here I’m adding in my Lupita character at the table and adding in color. These are all sketches I use as guides to then make the final painting. 
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
I’m so happy to have finished the second painting in my new Iowa Childhood series. Here I am with my brothers and our dogs and cat in the hammock under our twin pear trees. 🍐 🌳 🌳 🍐
About the series:
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
When I was a child, we lived on this beautiful hill in rural Iowa. There were two gorgeous pear trees next to the garden overlooking the countryside beyond.
Mom put up a hammock from Mexico. My brothers and I would play and read and take naps out there under the twin pear trees. Our dogs and cats would join us.
Here are a few pictures and a (new!) video of my “Pear Tree” painting still in progress.
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
I’m excited to have finished the very first painting in my new series. This is “Lupita Canning Corn.”
I remember corn harvest time. My brothers and I would pick the corn and pull off the husks. Mom would boil the corn on the cob in big pots on the wood cook stove. She’d dump the corn into the table and we’d eat all we could manage. The smell and taste of fresh corn (and fresh tomatoes!) was heaven.
We had boards with a nail end pointing up through the center. We’d stick the ear of corn onto the nail and cut off the kernels with long knives. Then we’d push the kernels into canning jars and Mom would pressure cook them on the propane stove. We stored the canned corn in a cement block cellar under the house. In the depths of winter, we’d open the glass jars and enjoy the fruit of all our hard work.
My new artwork series is a meditation on my childhood growing up off-the-grid in rural Iowa. My goal is to write a children’s book using this series of 20 paintings as the illustration for the book. Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation – BeWildReWild – Community Artist Grant for your generous support of my project.
https://bewildrewild.org/artwork-paintings-childrens-book
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
It’s an exciting day! I’ve received a Community Art Gathering Grant from the BeWildReWild Fund at the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation. The grant is to create my newest children’s book – about growing up off the grid in rural Iowa. I’m filled with gratitude to have this opportunity.
The book will have a series of twenty watercolor paintings. Here I am with the very first drawing, all ready to paint. This one is, “Lupita Canning Corn.” These are the largest paintings I’ve ever made, by far. (The new paintings are 12×12 inches and I usually make 5×7 size.)
I’ve also added a new element to the Lupita paintings…a background. I’m experimenting with gauche paint for the background work. It’s challenging and exciting, both.
My favorite part of painting again is sharing the experience with my sons. The Captain is fascinated by Mama painting and joins me at the table to watch what I’m up to.
I’ll post updates on my new project here on my blog and also on my Emily Lupita Studio Facebook Page.
https://www.facebook.com/EmilyLupitaStudio/
Thank you to the Iowa Natural Heritage Fund for supporting my work!
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
I thought I could be finished painting. I went months and months without picking up a pen or brush. I felt so devastated by my mom’s severe stroke…and her brain damage and paralysis that followed. To see her continued suffering through a very difficult recovery process, a long recovery process, and not be able to really help her – it has been so hard for all my family.
But my Mom, she’s a warrior. And she has been fighting every single day to make progress with her physical therapy. She’s able to sit in a wheelchair for a few hours now despite still being paralyzed on the left side. She’s able to eat a normal diet now, after months and months of eating therapy. We’re so proud and grateful for these improvements. We’re so thankful we still have her with us.
And…amid all of this…Mom started painting again. She’s doing a bird series. She asks the nurses to move her next to the window for natural light. She has a set-up on her tray to help her manage the paper and paint and brushes. She paints with her one good hand and uses her paralyzed hand to hold down the paper. Unfortunately, Mom has lost her muscle memory she developed from a lifetime of painting as a result of her brain damage. This means she has to start all over again. She has to learn to paint all over again. And yet, Mom continues to paint because she loves it. Because it gives her joy. Because it helps her connect with the world.
Mom has inspired me. And here I go. Drawing again. I have a new series I’m working on. I’m calling it the “Chaos Lupita” series because that’s how this year has been for me. Art imitating life.
Many blessings,
Emily Lupita
My beautiful Mama. She has been my life-long teacher in art. Mom suffered a brain bleed and stroke two weeks ago, and was flown by helicopter for emergency brain surgery. She survived the surgery, but still has swelling on her brain. For now she is still paralyzed on her left side and has a feeding port because she can’t swallow.
These are a few pictures of the latest quilt we made together. My painting on fabric and her quilting and sewing. My boys just love it.
It’s devastating for me to see my vibrant, artistic, creative Mama so silent and immobile in her hospital bed. But she’s a true fighter – a modern day warrior – and she will come back to us, I know.
To read more, get updates, and join her community of supporters, please visit Juana (Jane) Plum’s Stroke Recovery Go Fund Me page at this link:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/6sdalco
Many Thanks and Blessings,
Emily Lupita
Artist & Author
My newest painting is modeled after a photograph of me holding my son, Charlie. These are a few of the steps I went through to create the painting. I used an Apple Pencil and the software called Procreate. It’s very calming and relaxing for me to paint this way. I love playing with color and texture, with the different layers upon layers. 
Blessings,
Emily Lupita
Artist & Author
