Emily Zapien

Emily Zapien is a young queer artist emerging in the local art scene at 21 years old. Born and raised in Salem, Oregon Emily has been making art since she could hold a pencil. Always intrigued by simple quiet moments, such as the intricacies of a sliced tomato or friends grouped around a dinner table, she aims to capture the tranquility of fleeting moments in slow motion within her paintings and digital illustrations. Emily loves to travel and often reflects on her travels through painting and printmaking. Emily will begin the 2025-26 school year at Western Oregon University in the Fall, majoring in art education and is expected to graduate in Spring of 2026 with a BFA and a license to teach high school art.