Payal Emery, a Milford-based artist and family nurse practitioner, blends compassion and creativity in her vibrant, mixed-media work. Her journey began in elementary school art classes, where an enthusiastic teacher first sparked her love for artistic expression. While she pursued a demanding academic path at NYU, art remained a therapeutic outlet—something she rediscovered when a college roommate handed her a blank canvas and said, “just paint.”
The pandemic brought unexpected challenges and renewed artistic purpose. With her young son home—later diagnosed with autism—Emery turned to art as a way to connect and communicate. “Art really helped him express himself more,” she shares. As they painted together, it not only helped her son but also reignited Emery’s own passion. She began taking online art classes and learning how to build her voice and career as a professional artist.
Now focused on acrylic painting, Emery’s work is colorful, layered, and inspired by nature, animals, and spontaneous collaboration—often with her children. “I like to think of it as spreading your voice through your colors,” she says. Her creative process often begins with a free-form background of collage or spray paint, later layered with projected images drawn from nature or family photographs. Her art invites viewers to embrace imperfections, layering over them to create something new and expressive.
Deeply involved in the Milford community, Emery has taught children’s art classes through the Giggling Pig and after-school programs at Orange Avenue School. She’s hosted paint nights, including one featuring her popular portrait of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and is planning healing art workshops with the Milford Arts Council (MAC). She’s also preparing a mural for the Milford Public Library’s children’s department.
Through commissions, pet portraits, and original artwork available on her website, Emery continues to use art to bring joy and healing. A portion of her art sales supports animal welfare and children's education—a testament to her belief that “art heals.”
contact: info@payalemery.com
payalemery.com
instagram.com/artisticnurse
"I like to think of it as spreading your voice through your colors."