Emily Balsley is an artist who spends her days and nights passionately
hustling from project to project in her colorful studio in Madison, Wisconsin.
Illustration
If her piles of sketchbooks are any indication, Emily loves to draw. Heavily inspired by the world around her, she goes through life thinking, “Now, how could I draw this?”. From brainstorming client work to documenting her life…it all begins in a sketchbook.
Emily is comfortable working both analog and digitally. Her favorite traditional mediums include gouache, pen and ink, and Posca® markers. Her extensive illustration portfolio includes books for kids of all ages, magazines, posters, apparel, maps, puzzles and games.
Select clients include: Dial Books for Young Readers, American Girl, Bravery Magazine, Mudpuppy, Usborne Publishing, Marin Magazine, Knopf, Storey Publishing, Fair Indigo, Portland Design Works, Highlights Magazine, Penguin Books, and Rocky Pond Books.
Books • Magazines • Other Illustrated Goodness
Murals
From sketchbooks…to wall-sized — Emily’s art has gone BIG. If you think her drawings are fun, wait until you see them painted on a wall! Her quirky characters, yummy color palettes and eye-catching patterns transform a space from “meh” to “marvelous”!
Painting murals for over five years, Emily has experience painting both inside and out, on a variety of substrates, and in some challenging environments. Her mural work often features whimsical creatures, hand-lettering, animals and flowers. And she doesn’t stop there. In addition to walls, she paints window splashes and custom signs, too!
Some of Emily’s public-facing murals can be found at the UW-Madison Memorial Union, multiple Chocolate Shoppe Ice Cream locations, St. Mary’s School in Janesville, Lake City Books, Monroe Street Arts Center, and multiple Public Libraries throughout Wisconsin.
Murals + Signs
Community