Figurative Paintings | Emily Flint
A colorful abstract artwork depicting a figure lying down against a vibrant textured background.
A girl in a red floral dress lies down, looking thoughtfully with a soft expression.
A woman and two children hold hands, with a pink toy car above them. Letter "Y" is featured.
A person in a white tank top and pink shorts lies on a pillow on the floor.

I've been watching people my whole life. Not casually — closely. Reading faces, tracking moods, trying to understand what's happening underneath what's being said. A lot of my paintings come from that hypervigilant watching.

 

The surrealism isn't stylistic so much as accurate. The imagery that makes it into my work often comes to me when I'm in between things - like when I'm driving, or my mind starts to wander, or I'm so focused on something that everything else fades away. I paint what comes to me in those moments. Mostly, it's mothers and children. Their bodies are often touching or strained, like they're feeling the weight of something. And then there's the natural world, always lurking just out of sight, trying to push its way in.

 

I work across a lot of media — acrylic, oil, gouache, egg tempera, watercolor, mixed media. The variety isn't accidental. I need the novelty, and each medium asks something different of me. Each one has its own unique challenges and requirements, and that's what keeps me excited.

 

I'm not drawn to sentiment. I'm drawn to the moment just before or just after — when something true slips through.

 

Meltdowns and insects. Wrestling matches and roadkill. I fold together the thoughtful and the absurd.

Surreal artwork featuring a woman's face alongside a serpent and bees in a wooded landscape.
Person with a large, intricate brain-shaped head, expressing emotion with hands covering their face.
A woman with flowing hair entwined with roots and bees on a dark background.
A portrait of a woman with curly hair and blue eyes, surrounded by intricate lace patterns.
Two abstract, intertwined female figures with intricate hairstyles and thoughtful expressions.
A woman's face surrounded by green vines and marine elements on a blue background.
Surreal artwork depicting two figures entwined, emerging from a large shell against a blue sky.
Side profile of a woman with brown hair, looking contemplative against a wooden background.
A woman with red hair gazes back, surrounded by swirling colors and textures.
Crying baby with tousled hair, set against a colorful, wooden background.
A girl in a blue dress with a heart-shaped head surrounded by foliage and mushrooms.
Two children playfully lying on a textured surface, one resting on the other's back.
A girl with a serious expression surrounded by colorful, swirling shapes and abstract forms.
A nude figure with a downward posture against a colorful abstract background.
Two crying babies' faces mirrored, showing intense expressions against a dark background.
A mother holds hands with two children, one carrying a backpack and the other in a pink car.
Portrait of a woman with purple hair against a colorful, textured background.
A man holds an infant while a cat rests nearby, with a pink mug in the background.
A young woman with red hair, framed by branches, gazes intensely at the viewer.
Abstract artwork featuring a blend of faces, flowers, and organic elements in pink tones.
Child playing on the ground near a small house, engaged in creative activities.
Person swinging on a tree branch over turquoise water in a lush, tropical setting.
A young girl sleeps peacefully with a doll on a patterned blanket.
A reclining figure against a colorful, abstract background.
A person with short hair lies on a pillow, curled up on a textured floor.
Two adults and two young girls sit in a cozy living room, engaged in conversation.
Young girl with disheveled hair, wearing a pink hoodie, looking upwards with a thoughtful expression.
A girl with fair hair rests her head on her hand, wearing a red floral dress.
Two children play together on a sofa in a warmly lit room.
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