EMMA

What activities/art-form did you pick up as a kid that shaped you into the artist you are today ? In what way do YOU think it shaped you ?

“I would say anything that I did with my grandma. She had a couple of acres of land, so we were always doing stuff with horses and in nature. She had a bunch of flowers in her garden, and we would always make flower arrangements. She was always baking and cooking with me too. My grandma was always an inspiration to me because she did a lot of kinda country things because she was raised in Tennessee, but she also had such a beautiful femininity about her. I like to emulate that in my work because it took me a long time to realize like you can be kind of country and hick, but also be beautiful and feminine at the same time.”

Were you picked on as a child ? If so how ? How do you think that affected your life today as an artist ?

“I would like to think that everyone was kind of picked on as a child—At least that’s what I would tell myself. In middle school and high school, I think everyone else was trying to find themselves too, and sometimes I would get hurtful comments just on the way that I carried myself or the way that I dressed. I honestly just used it to grow a thicker skin and to fully embrace who I am as a person because I realize that any negativity that I get from other people really doesn’t have to affect me. Once I got out of my own head and stopped worrying about other people thought, I was so much happier; so I think it was good for me to be able to endure some negativity so I could bounce back from it and be more myself. Ultimately, you’re going to get negative comments throughout your life and it’s up to you how you react.”

What daily activity makes you feel most connected to your hands within your Art-form ?

“I would say that getting dressed in the morning it makes me feel very connected to my art form. [my friend] Julia has seen me getting ready, and a lot of the time she’ll see me like cutting up random shit or like adding safety pins or whatever. I think every time I get dressed, I try to do something creative or play around with like the straps and the silhouette. To me, getting dressed is like a very technical thing and it’s when I feel most creative because it’s how I can really express myself.”

What do you appreciate most about how YOUR art makes you feel ?

“My art makes me feel like myself— just completely and authentically. I think that it helps me feel like people can perceive me in a way that’s true to myself because I can have an idea of how I want to be perceived and I think that through fashion it makes it very easy to express myself. You can say so much through clothes and through the way that you dress and what you wear. It says so much about you and what you’re interested in— not only just superficial things, but also kind of when you talk to someone about what they’re wearing and what they’ve done in the clothes they’ve worn it’s really cool to hear from everybody how they dress and how dressing makes them feel so it’s not just me it’s also how fashion makes other people feel too.”

What pushes you to be a better artist today ?

“Hands-down, I would say other people push me to be a better artist because here in Savannah especially I’m surrounded by so many creative people and it’s not that I wanna be better than them; I think it can help motivate me. But so many people have cool ideas that I’d love to, you know, pick up here and there and just be inspired. I love looking around everywhere and being inspired by everyone and being able to find aspects from other people that you admire and appreciate and kind of emulate that and be able to just kind of pick other things up from other people and surround yourself with creative people can help you really create a really cool art style so it’s definitely other people yeah.”

BONUS QUESTIONS.

Do you have any tattoos ? If so, which is your favorite and why ?

“My favorite tattoo is this hippocampus tattoo on the back of my arm. It’s was my first tattoo I got when I moved to Savannah. I went and got it by myself at a shop I knew took walk-ins. It was just a random thing I chose from the flash, but I think it’s cute and quirky and kind of an ode to growing up swimming and riding horses. I also love that this shop ended up being right next to my job and I’ve been able to make friends with the artists there and get to know them because they come in and get coffee. I just think it was a cool coincidence that the first place I walked into has ended up being one of my favorite places with some of the coolest people I know.”

Who is your favorite family member and why ?

“Like I mentioned earlier, my grandma played a big role in my life, so she’s definitely one of my favorites. Even though the way I present and express myself is different than what she’s used to, she never approached me with judgment, just curiosity.”

Do you have any scars ? What is the story on them ?

“I’ve always been really accident prone, so I broke a lot of bones as a kid. I got into a pretty nasty mountain bike accident and had to get my knee reconstructed and then i also tripped on a rock and broke a couple bones in my arm and needed a few surgeries. It was definitely tough spending so much time in the hospital when i felt like i should be enjoying my childhood and making art.”

What are your favorite pair of shoes/boots, and why ?

“I don’t have them with me at school, but my favorite shoes are my cowboy boots that I’ve had since I was I think like 13 or 14. My grandma got them for me for Christmas, and I wore them every day when I rode my horse and they are very special to me and they’re also just very cute. I also have a pair of cowboy boots here in Savannah with me that I absolutely love. they’re pink and sparkly little quirky. They have crosses, sparkles and little bits of pink on them. Going back to the idea of being country and feminine at the same time, they really do make me feel like that when I wear them.”

What challenges do you face as an artist, how do you overcome them ?

“I mentioned it briefly earlier, but I spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child and even as a teenager I always felt a little bit different because I didn’t spend much time in school. I was always at the doctor and I always felt like I was being held back from opportunities because I was stuck in the hospital bed so that’s a challenge. I’ve overcome this by using my experiences to inspire me and always chase my dreams because I never know when I can end up being really sick again.”