Small Hopes – Emily Arthur + Noelle

Emily Arthur and Noelle, chimpanzee
Small Hopes, 2026
Tempera and screenprint with flocking on stretched canvas
10 x 20 inches

Market Value: $1,200.00
https://emily-arthur-artist.squarespace.com/
@darkhorsepress

The vibrant painting by chimpanzee Noelle was kept intact by Madison, Wisconsin-based artist Emily Arthur who thought it was the perfect site for two frolicking horses. She screen-printed them and added flocking to create a scene of pure equine ecstasy. Noelle’s active finger strokes become a Bluegrass field behind them.

It is not surprising to find Arthur picturing the horse, as she often investigates the natural world of flora and fauna. Birds, butterflies, deer, and trees are part of her investigation of displacement and loss relating to the environment. She has stated, “I see nature as an interdependent living force rather than as the backdrop for human events.”

Arthur often works with scientists, historians and Indigenous scholars to obtain the research that informs her drawings, prints, and artist books. Her work is included in the permanent collections of institutions including the Smithsonian American Art and Portrait Gallery in Washington, D.C.; Saint Louis Art Museum; Denver Art Museum; and the Museum of the American West, among others.

Noelle is known for her quirky and unique personality, and her love of paper, magazines, and books, which she plays with while eating breakfast. She often tears out certain pages and will carry them around throughout the day. The playful chimpanzee Rodney assisted Noelle with her preliminary composition.

About the artwork: The first photo shows the completed collaboration being auctioned. The second shows the original primate painting before Arthur added her contributions. Both images depict the same canvas; only the completed artwork is included.