Emily Taila impresses at DC exhibition with visual art
Emily Taila
By Cal Abbo
When Emily Taila first started making art, she didn’t know she was any good. It wasn’t until second grade when her piece was chosen for a school exhibition that she first received any recognition.
Since then, Emily’s artistic talents have unfolded tremendously. At the least, her artwork is stunning and impassioned. At the most, Emily’s artwork resembles that of an experienced professional.
Recently, she was called upon by Dara Global Arts to submit some of her work to be featured in an exhibition in Washington, DC. The event was held in the famed Dupont Circle.
Dara Global Arts put together an exhibition of artists who were middle-school-age or younger. Dara’s gallery is located in a suburb of Washington, DC and features many Middle Eastern artists. Its mission, according to the organization’s website, is to “bring harmony and peace through art.”
Henry Creel, a character from “Stranger Things.”
Erica Sinclair, a character from “Stranger Things.”
“We celebrate original art that reflects women empowerment and freedom of expression,” the website says. Dara acts on its promise by contributing a significant percentage of its sales to organizations that help children in war-torn countries, women and children suffering from homelessness, and artists struggling with poverty around the globe.
The exhibition was sponsored by the Iraqi embassy and included kids that were born outside of Iraq but had a significant connection there. In Emily’s case, her parents were born in Iraq and immigrated to the United States in 2000.
Emily has accomplished all of this at the young age of 14; she is preparing to enter her freshman year at Farmington High School.
Emily’s art tends to focus on her own interests, which means a lot of the subjects are related to pop culture. Her most recent paintings feature a dramatic, central item – often a character or representation from her favorite TV show – supported by a colorful and brilliant background.
Emily’s piece that was shown in the DC exhibit
Even at her tender age, Emily’s artwork shows an extraordinary maturity, attention to detail, and carefulness that even some professional adults struggle to achieve. This attitude comes through in her personality when speaking with her, but Emily also maintains a reserved style of humor that makes her easy to talk to. She exudes humility and attributes her talent to natural gifts or the fact that she “just started young.”
On the other hand, her mother, Nariman Taila, is exceedingly proud and very excited about Emily’s progress as an artist. She encourages her daughter to take on new challenges and ventures. It was Nariman who helped Emily find the Dara exhibition and sent her paintings to Washington, DC. Nariman also took responsibility for getting the paintings back, which was somewhat more difficult than they thought it would be. Though the exhibition took place in March, Emily didn’t receive some of her paintings back until July.
The hit Netflix show “Stranger Things” is perhaps Emily’s favorite subjects to paint and draw. They also represent some of her most impressive works of art. A recent painting completed in June of a character named Henry Creel stands out as dark, dramatic, and emotional. Creel’s eyes stare deeply into your own as dread, anger, and sorrow creep into your mind. I have not seen the most recent installment of “Stranger Things,” but I can surmise from Emily’s painting that Creel’s story is sinister and devastating.
Another painting shows a figure sitting at the edge of a cliff, a lucky fishing rod dangling in the night sky, backlit by a bright moon. Northern lights, golden clouds, and dozens of stars give her painting new life. (This piece brings me back to movie nights in my childhood watching the DreamWorks logo.)
Although Emily’s artistic talents are clear, she has little ambition to pursue art as a career. Instead, she likes to think of it as a hobby, something to do in her free time to show her friends and family. If it’s up to her she would prefer to choose a calling in the medical field.
Artistically well-rounded, Emily also plays the violin. She has two brothers and is part of a loving and supporting family. Emily is well connected in the Chaldean community, with two of her cousins and one aunt working for the Chaldean Community Foundation as intern, accountant, and immigration case manager, respectively.
With many bright years ahead of her, only the future knows what’s in store for Emily - and what kind of art she has in store for us.