Artist Emily Frushour as a young child, holding a drawing and a stuffed animal from a coloring contest.

How it started

Obviously it began with this masterpiece I created as a 5 year old, which won me a stuffed bunny.

I always loved art, but I never planned to make it into a job. I don't even know what I thought I was going to study when I started college, but I took a drawing class my freshman year at Michigan and knew immediately that I needed to transfer into their School of Art + Design. I had a visceral reaction to to everything in that building - the scents (erasers! charcoal!), the sounds (sloshing brushes in the sink!), the feels (rough brown paper towel!), and the look of those big black portfolios everyone was carrying.

I took classes in almost every medium - except watercolor - and graduated with a BFA in Graphic Design in 2001.

Artist Emily Frushour standing with arms crossed in her art studio in Lansing, Michigan.

How it's going

I had several different design jobs over the years but often felt creatively stifled and frustrated by the amount of digital work involved. I missed the playfulness of creating something with my hands. I left my design job when I was 40, with no real plan and a healthy mix of anxiety and hope.

Eventually I started experimenting with watercolors, drawing inspiration from the beauty of my home state. A lifelong Michigander, my familiarity with our special places led to artwork that resonated with the community. My artistic style grew naturally out of my love for 20th century art, especially the color-driven work of Mark Rothko and Piet Mondrian.

I'm now almost ten years into my career as a full-time, independent artist, with my work in over 30 stores across the state. I am definitely making things up as I go (duh) but what's more fun than that?

Artist Emily Frushour standing with arms crossed in her art studio in Lansing, Michigan.
Artist Emily Frushour standing with her watercolor work in her booth at a summer art fair.

What's next

Welp, like I said, I'm figuring it out day by day. I'm led by my passions:

  • paying homage to spaces that we hold dearly in our hearts
  • spreading color and light like there's no tomorrow
  • cultivating creative relationships wherever I go
  • making art more accessible and appreciated in communities

Art isn't fluff and it isn't expendable. It's necessary. Being an artist is an honor and I'm grateful for this job every single day.

STUFF I'M PROUD OF

Member, The Greater Goods Alliance with Lisa Congdon & Emily McDowell
Member, The Foundry with Margo Tantau
Artist in Residence, Two Fish Gallery of Leland (Spring 2026)
Founder, Free Little Art Gallery of DeWitt
Founder, Downtown DeWitt seasonal window art
Participating Artist, Art-o-Mat (national program)
Featured Artist, Ann Arbor Observer (upcoming)
Featured Artist, Lansing City Pulse

Peek inside my studio

Artist Emily Frushour sitting at desk, working on computer with colorful art supplies and paints on the tabletop.
Business card for artist Emily Frushour, with a watercolor lighthouse and paints in the background.
Shelf display in artist studio, with a vase of snapdragons, piece of driftwood that says Create, and a women in art book.
Shelf in artist studio showing a crystal, colorful journals and a pink dish that says Art Saves Lives.
Handmade card with a rainbow quote hanging on wall in artist studio.
Pink poster with 'You can do big scary things' text and doodles, attached to a white wall with a clothespin.
Variety of art supplies in artist Emily Frushour's studio, including pencils, markers, scissors and pens.
Artist Emily Frushour's hands folding notecards featuring a bright watercolor painting of the Great Lakes.