Emma Jerabek is a second-year transfer student majoring in Psychology with a minor in Sociology. With a focus on the social sciences (even studying the hard sciences at SUNY Geneseo) her heart is in her artwork that focuses on body-positivity.
Having grown up in a family of artists, she started painting at a very young age.
“I’ve always been a very artistic person; my whole family — all of my uncle’s are painters — my whole family’s artists. And so I started painting when I was really young,” Jerabek said.
However, she took an eight year hiatus where she became more and more involved with science.
“I’m a science major . . . I was heading towards biology and I really wasn’t doing what I wanted,” Jerabek said. “So I made a switch. I started picking up crafts and painting again.”
Part of this switch involved transferring from SUNY Geneseo to SUNY New Paltz. Jerabek looked up all the SUNY schools with art programs.
“I picked the best one and that was here,” she said.
Jerkbek’s specialty is in acrylic paint. In every piece, they highlight a different part of their body that holds some amount of insecurity. Through their artwork, Jerabek has been able to find acceptance and appreciation for their body.
“It’s to see myself as an artform,” Jerabek said. “It’s been super helpful and empowering for me but I also hope to help other people that might have body image issues.”
You can find Emma on instagram: @emmajerabek
