Emily Groth
Emily was a gifted young artist whose extraordinary creativity touched every aspect of her life. Drawn to surrealism and imaginative storytelling, she created more than thirty paintings and drawings, along with numerous pottery pieces, leaving behind a remarkable body of work before her life was tragically cut short at just 21 years old.
Emily's artistic talent was recognized from an early age. She won the inaugural South Dakota State AA Art Competition for her mixed-media painting Clairvoyance and earned multiple Scholastic Gold Keys, including one for Incongruous. Awarded an art scholarship to the University of South Dakota, she looked forward to developing her artistic voice while pursuing a career in the visual arts. She also sold her artwork through Etsy and continually explored new creative outlets, including pottery, sewing, and fashion design.
Beyond the studio, Emily excelled as both a gymnast and a track-and-field athlete. Whether building sculptures from sticks and stones as a child or creating intricate surrealist paintings as a teenager, she approached every endeavor with imagination, discipline, and originality. Her personal motto, "I hope to brighten the world through my passion for art," reflected the way she lived her life.
Today, Emily's legacy lives on through Emily's Hope, the nonprofit founded in her memory. Her artwork remains at the heart of the organization's annual Art Show and Auction, inspiring hope, healing, and awareness while ensuring that her creative spirit continues to brighten the lives of others.
