When more than nine inches of snow blanketed the region, one Narberth artist saw more than a winter storm. She saw a canvas, writes Denali Sagner for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Emily Stewart stepped into her snow-covered front yard and built three glowing Swedish snow lanterns, turning a frigid night into something quietly magical. The soft light against the dark winter sky has offered neighbors a small but welcome dose of warmth during one of the coldest stretches in recent memory.
Stewart, an artist and coordinator of Narberth Public Art, is no stranger to working outside traditional mediums. While she creates with ink, graphite and wood, snow has become one of her most communal tools. Raised in Ohio, she grew up sculpting winter creations and revived the practice during the pandemic, crafting life-size animals that drew visitors from across the region.
What began as a creative outlet evolved into something larger: connection. Neighbors stop to chat. Families take photos. Strangers gather. In a time often dominated by screens and division, Stewart sees public art as a simple way to bring people together.
There’s also beauty in the fleeting nature of it all, according to Stewart. “It’s ephemeral,” she said. “Like, enjoy it, and it’s not yours to keep.”
Read more about Narberth’s Emily Stewart in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
