My name is Emma Hapner. I studied at the New York Academy of Art to receive my Master’s of Fine Arts with a concentration in painting. I am originally from Indiana and received my Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from Ball State University. I work primarily in oil paint on canvas to create figurative works, reclaiming the language of classical painting from a woman’s perspective.

To me, the color pink is a symbol of unapologetic femininity. I paint my figures in pink worlds and look to motifs from classical antiquity to celebrate traditional painting from my perspective: A woman seeking to understand the intricacies of womanhood.

My paintings focus on the duality of womanhood that I have experienced, exploring the desire to embody the power and sexuality that exist alongside my interest in beauty, softness, and “girly” traits, acknowledging that one does not detract from the other.

In many works, I also use clothing, costumes, and stage poses that draw on elements of fantasy and storytelling, almost as if I am playing a game of dress-up. The clothing we wear can completely change our outlook and attitude; a pair of heels can give the mindset of wearing a suit of armor. Each different outfit allows me to slip into a different identity.

Embracing my love of pink is important to me, as a woman and an artist. By immersing multiple figures in a hot pink space, I hope to depict the intimate, tumultuous, and ever-changing relationship with oneself. Conventionally, soft pink has been a color for little girls, but in my work I use more intense shades of quinacridone red, magenta, and fluorescent pink to embrace both sensuality and power.