Emilie is a rare gem at an art opening. She’s pure patron, appreciator, creative spirit, lover and follower of art… without being an actual art-maker herself.

In Greek Mythology, there were nine beautiful, youthful muses…all daughters of Zeus, with names like Melpomene, She Who Sings. There were muses for dancing, flute-playing, poetry, and even for astronomy and comedy, but inexplicably none to inspire the visual arts.

For my Goddess Project, where I re-imagine the mythology of all religions through a contemporary feminist lens, I cast elderly art-lover Emilie as the much-needed tenth muse… for the visual arts, Emilie, The One Who Sees. Her paintbrush mandala and iconic pose echo Sargent's Isabella Stewart Gardner. Her Front-International Summer Art Festival admission bracelet shouts 21st Century Ohio.