Emily Victory is a math-minded, nature-loving painter based along a bike trail in Watertown, Minnesota. She is a mother of 4 young, explorative boys - and married to a fellow college math major. So, science discussions, math talk, and nature-exploration are key in her world.
Emily is obsessed with both mathematics and art. Her large-scale, geometric paintings explore patterns, number systems, data sets, and mathematical theorems. Emily’s paintings translate complex ideas into visual, colorful, approachable forms. She believes that when intimidating jargon is stripped away, numbers and data become easier to understand—and her paintings act as an inviting entry point for curiosity and learning.
During her residency, Emily will create a series of large-scale paintings inspired by data that has been collected through fieldwork at Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve. She will learn from - and collaborate with - staff and researchers at the CBS Conservatory, The Bakken Museum, and Cedar Creek, ensuring that every artistic decision is rooted in the information gathered. Emily’s work organizes these numbers and systems into clear patterns, proportions and appropriate colors. The goal of the project is to make scientific information easier to approach and understand - through intuitive, engaging, super-fun and detailed imagery.
Emily paints with acrylic paint on aluminum composite panels, which are chosen for their durability, lightweight structure, and ability to be shown indoors or out. The project will conclude with an exhibition at the Bakken Museum, scheduled to open in mid-November 2026 and run through spring 2027!
You can follow Emily's work on her website, as well as here on this page.