About Me
My name is Emily Parpart. I'm a Northwest Indiana-based artist, muralist, and aspiring interior designer.
I grew up just across the border in Illinois —five minutes from the Indiana border and about forty-five minutes from Chicago— the blend of suburban calm and city energy has had a play in shaping my creative lens.
Now as a full-time mom, most of my days revolve around parenting and keeping our busy household running. I also work part-time at a local home-surface shop, where my passion for interior design has grown over the years. I've loved and been blessed to have worked there almost 10 years! Half of which was when I was full-time before kids. That role fuels my drive for creating spaces that feel intentional, expressive, and lived-in for art and design.
My love for art began early. Between sports and school, I always found a way to fit art or design into my schedule. Now, as motherhood allows, I try to carve out time for art—whether just at work in guiding our customers to decorate homes, or more recently through commissioned murals. I love helping others bring a vision to life— bring life to a empty space — for a home, a public space, a single wall, or a custom work.
In my artwork - not necessarily corelating to my murals - color is more than a medium; it's a vibrant language. I absolutely love exploring the movement of each piece, the interplay of color, texture, lines and pattern. I'm intrigued by the vibrancy and subtly a color palette can provide, each combination offering its own beauty and distinct aesthetic.
My process can shift between precision and spontaneity. Varying from utmost precision, clean structure; other times leaning to raw, seemingly chaos, expressive energy like Pollock. The tension between clean lines and the raw, unpredictable beauty like that of dripped paint can transform a piece entirely. As most artists, I want to draw you in—whether it aligns with your usual style or not—inviting a response through color, movement. Like Monet, I want my work to be felt as much as seen. Creating dialogue between the viewer and the piece, offering a sense of vibrancy, emotion, and presence—whether through bold color or a beautifully balanced neutral palette.
parkstra (noun) —
[park-strah]
1. A union of the names Dykstra [dike-strah] and Parpart [par-part]; representing the artistic bridge between past and present being bound together by the constant of God and Art.
2. Coined by my husband uniting my two "worlds" of art in my maiden name and married name. Art has been my steady companion through every transition of my life, besides that of my faithful God. As I embark on every new adventure—juggling the beautiful complexities of life as loving wife, mother and artist—I invite you to join me in this ever evolving artistic definition.
