About the Artist

Born in Brooklyn, New York., Embry studied painting under Sergei Bongart in California where she worked with live models and learned color relationship as well as painting techniques.

She later began working in pastels which she uses as a painting medium and not a drawing medium. The difference between the two is that in a pastel painting the surface is virtually entirely covered with pigment like an oil painting would be. Embry builds her pastels using an under painting technique which she then sprays with a fixative. She adds successive layers of color creating form using values, dark and light. When this is accomplished, she begins to create high rich impastos just as one does with oils. She never uses fixative on a finished work, as this would reduce the richness of the colors.

Embry feels the pastel medium is more appropriate for women and children since it is a softer medium which enhances the sensitivity of the subject and is much more spontaneous than any other medium. Once framed, pastels can outlast oils since no binder is used which can cause cracking or yellowing with time, but they are sensitive to moisture and care must be taken transporting and storing them.

The artist uses only quality materials whether painting in oils or pastels. For pastels she uses Wallis sanded archival paper and a variety of major pastel brands of whatever colors needed to complete the specific portrait. She uses find quality linen canvas for oil portraits.

California Career(1968-1983)
Studied four years under Sergei Bongart, School of Arts, Santa Monica, California
Studied anatomy with Hal Reid, Los Angeles, California
Summer Art Program and Feminist Studio Workshop, Women's Building, Los Angeles, California
Represented by Swanson Art Galleries, LTD of San Francisco for over ten years - Featured in Swanson's Twenty-One
      California Artists
Reproductions by Kertez Fine Arts, San Francisco, California
The Master's Gallery, Sedona, Arizona

New York Career (1984-1997)
Taught art privately in New York State, southern tier
Participated in Art Expo, Javits Center, New York
Featured in Brian Art Gallery, Buffalo, New York
Featured in Metro Gallery, Rochester, New York
Featured in Edleman Fine Arts, Manhattan, New York
Solo Exhibit at the Community School of Music and Arts, Ithaca, New York

Recent Exhibits (1998-2004)
Solo Exhibit, Clinton Artspace, Ithaca, New York
Group Exhibit, Limner Gallery, New York, New York
Group Exhibit, Old Opera House, Waverly, New York
Invitational Exhibit (98, 00, and 01), State of the Art Gallery, Ithaca, New York
Group Exhibit, West End Gallery, Corning New York
Solo Exhibit, Community School of Music and Arts, Ithaca, New York
Solo Exhibit, Wells College, Aurora, New York
Group Exhibit, Soho International Arts Competition, New York, New York
Group Exhibit, Agora Gallery, New York, New York
Group Exhibit, Arnot Art Museum, 68th Regional Exhibit, Elmira, New York
Group Exhibit, Community Corner's Gallery, Ithaca, New York
Group Exhibit, Golden Lynx Gallery, Mendon, New York
Group Exhibit, Arnot Art Museum, 68th Regional Exhibit, Elmira, New York
Group Exhibit, The Contemporary Portrait, Rye Arts Center, Rye, New York
Solo Exhibit, Shangri-La on The Commons, Ithaca, New York

Artistic Awards and Grants
2002, Constance Saltonstall Foundation for the Arts, Individual Artist Grant
2003, Puffin Foundation, Ltd., Artist Grant
2003, Astraea Foundation, Astraea Visual Arts Award
2004, Rye Arts Center, Finalist in The Contemporary Portrait
2004, American Artist Magazine, Featured Artist in Spring Issue