Emily Mueller

I Have Considered the Lilies

A Solo Exhibition of Paper Works at Maryville University (February 9 - March 6, 2026)
 

Rooted in a fascination with process and material, Emily Mueller’s work as a self-taught papermaker explores meditative mark-making and the intuitive investigation of form and color. Her work grows from a dedication to repetitive, labor-intensive processes—papermaking, weaving, drawing, and mark-making—which serve as meditative acts. These processes cultivate a spiritual connection with craftspeople, especially women, through the act of making.

In her studio, she creates paper using a blender and custom-shaped moulds made from egg crate sheets and purple insulation foam. She pours and paints colored pulp to build compositions, using combinations of abaca, recycled paper, cotton, and hand-beaten kozo fibers.

I Have Considered the Lilies takes its title from a Connie Converse song of the same name. This song considers the relationship between labor and beauty.

I have considered the lilies
I have considered how they grow
Tell me, tell me how to be a lily
If you know

Connie Converse, I Have Considered the Lilies