Featured Artist Emy van Schaik

by ©Peggy Gabrielson

“My creativity runs like a red thread through my life, I am inspired by all that I see around me.” 

Rich culture and ancestry of artists surrounds Emy van Schaik, evolving from arts that are an integral part of her life. She was born in Indonesia on the island of Java. At a young age of 6 her parents moved the family to the Netherlands, where she still resides as an adult, working and raising her children whom are now grown.

 Emelie’s Design

Her creative talents are diverse, with a concentration primarily in textiles, sewing dance costumes and fashioning patterns for knitted garments. For the past 15 years Emy immersed herself in creating embroidery patterns for cards in the prick and stitch method, a pierced card with beads and thread technique.

“I purchased a booklet containing embroidery patterns for cards and so I started.” 

Her journey continues taking her to the stage of designing patterns herself.  In the beginning Emy planned her patterns by hand. This process took a lot of time. She found that by using her computer and a program Paint Shop Pro gave her the ability in defining the details she desired in her composition, thus refining her style. 

Emy’s cards reflect her love and life, the characteristics of the Mandala and flowers.

“Mandala the ever repeating patterns giving me inner peace, and flowers for the merriment and love of color.” 

Her patterns can be found and are sold internationally under Emelie’s Design. 

Constantly searching for inspiration and ideas Emy came upon a featured site on Zentangles. A spark lit her interests leading her to draw the Zentangle.

Zentangle Art

“I became intrigued by the complexity of the patterns reminding me of the Dutch artist Cornelis Escher, who I admire immensely.”  

She manually draws her Zentangle, because she finds that she was limited in achieving her desired goal with her computer software. Emy incorporates color in her Zentangle art using colored pencils, hoping to achieve them as embroidery patterns and canvas art one day. 

“In my mind I want much more, there are many ideas running through my head. I am thinking of Zentangles in wood burning designs.”

She credits family support and her niece who resides in Canada, Gwen van Schaik also an artist, for motivating her to explore broader horizons.  

“My advice to other aspiring artists is to follow your dream; it will take you to where you want to be. Don’t give up no matter how long that road is!”

You can find Emy van Schaik art work by visiting her online websites:

                     Emelie’s Design

                     Zentangle Art

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