"How many of you see yourselves as an artist or in a creative field some day?" alumna Emily Baker '97 asked the Class 10 and Class 11 students in Duane Neil's Watercolors class last Friday.

No one raised her hand. Not because they weren't paying attention, but because they were being honest. Ms. Baker could relate. Had she been asked the same question when she was a student at Chapin, she may not have raised her hand either.

Although Ms. Baker grew up in a creative family and took classes at the Art Students League, becoming a professional artist was not at the top of her list of career aspirations. With various interests and strengths, she could have pursued any number of avenues. "I was really good at math. I thought maybe I'd be an economics major," she said.

Spoiler alert: Emily Baker did indeed become an accomplished artist! She was pleased to share her experiences with the Upper School students and Mr. Neil, Head of the Art Department, who fondly recalled her Individual Study project featuring her watercolors.

Mr. Neil invited Ms. Baker back to Chapin to discuss her success as an independent painter and illustrator who is regularly commissioned by private collectors and whose work has been exhibited in galleries across the U.S., from the Hamptons to California.

After graduating from Chapin in 1997, Ms. Baker went on to Middlebury College in Vermont. She took courses in a range of subjects before ultimately deciding on the Studio Art program. There, she began to develop her style and technique – and her confidence. A semester abroad in Madrid, Spain, was an early source of inspiration for Ms. Baker, whose portfolio includes travel-themed pieces.

Sitting around the large table, Ms. Baker began sharing some of her work with the students by scrolling through a slideshow, including: Brooding oceans and beach imagery; lush landscapes and gentle botanicals; wild animals from a trip to Africa; lifelike family portraits; majestic horses and more than a few dogs. "People love to have me paint their dogs," she said with a smile. Each of her paintings begin with a photograph she's taken, which allows for "a more studied work."

The class was intrigued by her artistry. "How did you get the water to look so transparent?" one student asked. "How did you shade the horse's face?" another inquired. "How did you make the shadows?" posed a third.

Although she began with watercolors, Ms. Baker found that for her, oils offered more nuance for certain projects. "It is hard to get a deep black in watercolors," she explained. "The shadows weren't as dark as I wanted so I made the switch to oil."

After painting almost exclusively with oils for a long time, Ms. Baker decided to work again with watercolors. This time, she imbued her subjects with a looser, almost dream-like quality, unlike her realistic oil portrayals. "I have recently gone back to watercolors as a means of illustration because of its lighter treatment," she said.

Ms. Baker, who lives and works in Long Island City, Queens, is also a talented graphic designer and art director. While she has long taken photographs as part of her painting process, she now regards her photography as its own stand-alone art form and sells those pieces, as well.

After the slideshow, Ms. Baker passed around samples of her printed work for the students to see. Her favorite was a hand-lettered invitation with painted flowers that she created for her wedding last summer on Shelter Island. She also spoke enthusiastically about her current seascape paintings. "It is sort of freeing not to worry about perfect lines and to worry instead about color, texture and movement," she commented.

Ms. Baker's visit demonstrated that a satisfying career as a visual artist can become a reality with hard work, ingenuity and determination. Seeing their guest's work and enthusiasm left Mr. Neil's students with much food for thought.

Click HERE to view photos.