Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Em Vieser. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Em, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

The project that comes to mind is the collection of merchandise that I just designed for pride month. As a queer artist, I have the most fun creating designs for my community and watching people react to them at markets is honestly so rewarding. Things have been feeling really bleak in regards to being trans and queer in the south, and it’s really easy for me to get stuck in my head about that. So allowing myself to freedom to create pieces of art that are fun and celebratory of who I am has been really helpful in refilling my cup.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m an illustrator and printmaker from Knoxville, TN. I had been running a commercial arts practice as Emma Elyse Art since 2020, but earlier this year, I rebranded to Perennially and have been focusing on illustration, printmaking, and ceramics. I also maintain a fine arts practice that has primarily manifested as paintings, but is moving towards more textile work. Long story short: I keep myself busy! I’ve been working towards building a career as a professional artist for as long as I can remember. In high school, I knew I wanted to pursue art into college and have been working hard to build a career. Though I’ve taken some detours into different mediums, I’ve always been pushing in the same direction.

As Perennially, I’ve been selling at art markets in Knoxville, at RALA, and have just begun a foray into the world of wholesaling. I enjoy creating playful, bright art inspired by nature and my garden. As a queer artist, it’s important for me to bring that into my work as well. Though I mostly make work for my own brand, when I have done client work, I really enjoy the element of collaboration and helping folks visualize their ideas. Lately, I’ve been having a lot of fun with food illustrations–I was asked to design merch for a local band, The Noisy, and we dreamed up an Italian dinner party/charcuterie style spread, and getting to illustrate all the snacks was so exciting. Some of my earliest illustration projects were for a community farm, drawing veggies, so this just feels like a natural continuation of that!

I also offer screenprinting services with my illustrations, both professionally and personally, for those who want a handmade touch added to their illustrations. There’s something so exciting about watching digital drawings come to life, for me and for clients!

In your view, what can society to do to best support artists, creatives and a thriving creative ecosystem?

Maybe this isn’t directed to society at large, but I really wish my art school education had had more professional development included. Every program addresses this differently, but as someone who went through a fine arts track rather than a design one, I’ve had to teach myself so much about the professional side of being an artist. I’m so lucky to be surrounded by an incredible artist and maker community, but it feels like a waste to spend 4 years and thousands of dollars on tuition on school that doesn’t even address this part of making art. Whether you’re a fine artist, a commercial illustrator/designer, or not sure about your path, I think everyone could benefit from being exposed to that part of art making. I’m only sticking it out because this has been the direction I’ve been working in for as long as I can remember, but I think more people would leave art school and become professional artists if we spent more time learning about this stuff. Instead, I encountered a lot more people who thought selling your art commercially, rather than out of a gallery, was “selling out”. That kind of attitude doesn’t set students up for success post-grad.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I love, love, love listening to the podcast “Beyond the Studio”. The hosts are working artists who interview other working artists about the business of art. There are so many perspectives from fine artists to commercial artists that there’s so much to learn. Even just hearing other creatives be transparent about money has been such an impactful learning experience.    

Contact Info:

• Website: emvieser.squarespace.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/perenniall.y
• Etsy: etsy.com/shop/perenniallybyem
• Faire: https://www.faire.com/brand/b_xpaj6yfkfd