Emily Sweet

Sam: 

How did you get involved with this summer's group show at Tantra Lounge?

Emily: 

I meet Tanzina, the curator of these monthly group shows, at the Art For Animals Show. 

I really enjoyed her company and we stayed in touch!

Sam:

What kind of public speaking/ social justice work are you involved with/ interested in?

Emily:

I am very involved with social justice and public speaking. In the last two years I've done TV and print interviews with Goodlife Fitness, CTV, CP24, The Peel District School Board, Rogers TV, Global News and more. I speak about living with anxiety and chronic pain. I also speak about being the first person in Canada to have a self-trained service dog in school. I have pushed to have multiple policies changed, which has made it easier for Canadians with disabilities to access service dogs and know their rights.

Sam:

What informs or inspires your art?

Emily:

I love learning. I watch the news a lot so my art often alludes to social issues and change.

Sam:

What does living in Toronto mean to you as an artist?


Emily:

I love how welcoming and helpful all the artists are. It's an uplifting community. In a lot of professions people step on each other to get to the top. This is definitely not the case amongst the Toronto artists I've met. We all get genuine pleasure from helping each other; it's very refreshing!


Sam:

Have you ever created graphic novels or comic books?


Emily:

My comic art was published in the March, April and May 2016 Toronto Comic Jam Issues.

Sam:

Do you see anxiety and chronic pain as being invisible ailments in our society?

Emily:

Yes. I once was on a bus and this old man got furious at me because I wouldn't move from my seat. Usually I'd have no problem with that, but I was in a lot of pain and noticed there were a lot of other people that could move. I explained to him that I had chronic pain and was unable to stand. I even apologized. Finally someone else moved and everyone on the bus praised her. I felt horrible. I was singled out for being young, but age doesn't always matter. There are healthy elderly people and sick children. Why would I risk the public embarrassment of not giving my seat to that man if I didn't need to sit? 

Sam: 

How does anxiety relate to and inform art?

Emily:

I have been told that there is a lot of emotion in my work.
This is because I feel most creative when I'm emotional.
I use art as a form of release...

Sam: 

What are the characteristics of anxiety in the big city?

Emily:

I think it varies for each person. If one has social anxiety, it may be aggravated by the amount of people in a big city. There's not many places to chill in a park and be alone in cities when you're anxious. 

When I'm anxious, it helps for me to leave the house. I put headphones on and take my dog for a mindful walk. A mindful walk is where you focus on little details, like pretty windows on a house, to distract you from your anxiety. I also use binaural beats from YouTube.