As the academic year begins, many students have yet to decide their majors; they seem not to be able to figure out what they want to do with their lives. The problem may be that they don’t know what their passion is.

However, for one local, finding her passion was never a question. Emily J.G. Vermillion knew that she loved art from a young age.

“I think it was instinctive,” she said. “I loved making something out of nothing.”

Vermillion enjoyed making crafts, and she made a variety of things. Rather than buy clothes for her dolls, she created whimsical costumes for them.

This instinctive nature has now evolved into an exhibit, Wings & Whimsy. The show will feature a collection of 21 pieces ranging from fanciful drawings of butterflies to life-size dolls. It will be on display starting today through Oct. 11 at the Iowa Artisans Gallery, 207 E. Washington St.

Vermillion used a variety of media to create her pieces. Pencils, color pencils, watercolors, and a combination of other things were used. Regardless of her tools, what she relies on is her passion and instinct, two things that have been with her from the start.

“I’ve been an artist for many years,” she said. “I started teaching many years ago, and I would do projects with the kids. One of the projects I did was having them make butterflies, and I really enjoyed the color and shades and imagination. Also, when I was a very little girl and could not sleep because of a very, very bad dream, my mother would always console me: ‘Just think of beautiful butterflies.’ ”

Those two inspirations, kids and a bad dream, are now 11 whimsical drawings of butterflies in Vermillion’s exhibit. Also on display will be six portraits and four sculptures. Not to be left out are her dolls, which range from 14 inches to life-size. Made from textiles, fabrics, and various materials, she sewed each by hand.

“They’re very unusual. They’re not cute like, Barbie,” she said. “They are more soulful. Everything I do is one of a kind.”

She is honored to have her work on display at the Iowa Artisans Gallery, she said, but that is not the only reason that she has to feel honored. It is also the 25th anniversary of the Iowa Artisans Gallery this October. She has been both an admirer and a customer at the gallery since it opened, she said.

“Emily is a longtime Iowa City artist who has been involved both in personal studio work and more community-based work,” Astrid Bennett, the marketing director for the gallery, wrote via e-mail.

“It’s been interesting to see her develop her work over the years. … Mixing the soft sculptural dolls with two-dimensional works is also an interesting concept and one that I thought would be different for the community as a whole.”

Now, as many students discover new interests, they can view one artist’s devotion and care. As Vermillion says when talking about her work: “I love it. It’s my passion.”