We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Emiley Schnieders. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Emiley below.
Emiley, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’ve love to hear an interesting investment story – what was one of the best or worst investments you’ve made? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)
The best investment I have ever made for myself was my very first booth at my first artist alley event. I have always been a creative, and have yearned to create some type of living from the art that I create- mostly because I just HAVE to earn a living somehow. If I could create art all day and live for free, trust me I would do that too. I am someone who plans plans plans.. but in these cases we have to dive in head first.
I have an Associates Degree in Art, and have surrounded myself with artists for as long as I remember, I think it’s really important to do that as a creative. But the connections, people, and creative minds I got to meet at my first event, and every event after that, has continued to bring me the thrill to continue what I do and thrive in it, while also being not near as afraid to take crazier and crazier risks. Buying a table, setup, vendor spot, and investing in a merchandise of your art before anyone has ever bought anything can be extremely scary, but it can also pay off (literally!)
I spent the weekend before the event hand cutting 200 stickers, creating sticker packs, and printing my first ever prints. I spent a total of $200 on prepping for my first booth, a lot of it being start up costs, and ended up making $250 at my very first ever event. I cannot tell you how much I cried from happiness knowing that I could create and people would talk to me about it for hours, buy it and follow me for more- to know these things are possible. I wouldn’t have started when I did without my friends reaching out to me, I was struggling with where to go with my art after graduating, and needed to do something fulfilling while making an income. They invited me to table with them at an event, I was pushed to pay then and there and commit and I did. It was the best investment I had ever made. Since then, I have done at least one event every month, committed to my online shop, am more consistent with my own original pieces and fanart than I have ever been, and am receiving commissions on a regular basis. I couldn’t be more happy and thankful to be in the position I’ve found myself in.
There was another question I had read about taking risks, and I feel like diving head first is often an artists biggest investment, as it was for me. Everyone needs a kick in the butt to know, “Oh hey, you know this might just work out.” Because they do. I am a big believer in “too big of dreams”, if you truly feel your soul is meant to do or create something, then you must. It will scream until it is out.
Emiley, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Something I often tell people when I first meet them is that I am an artist first and a human second. Art is the cornerstone of our souls. Dancing among tribes, singing within a choir, throwing a ceramic piece, painting the words you can’t say- these all come first to me. The dancing connects our energy, the singing gives us a louder voice as one, the ceramic piece will assist in feeding a community, and the painting will show others what one can’t find on their own.
Something I want people to know about me and my brand is that it is me and everything that makes me, me. I grew up watching and being inspired by a lot of western animation, with a crazy environment, emotional turmoil, and a sketchbook to take it all out on- my art represents those things! I’m afraid of getting stuck as a “fan-artist” as a lot of my events have been themed, but I do have plenty of originals that compliment both sides of me. As time has gone on I have made and plan on continuing to make some crazy meaningful original pieces and secret projects that I can’t wait to share soon.
I knew I wanted to do something art related for the rest of my life when I was 3, but I have only been in my industry since December of last year (2024)- and like many artists I am sure I will be in and out of many different art industries but for now I can’t see myself stopping. Knowing people really pays off- get out and meet as MANY people as you can. Anytime someone comes to my booth and asks me how to get started- they get an earfull. Since doing my first event, I have amassed a variety of different merchandise with so much more to come. I have keychains, prints of all types and sizes, stickers, and I’m working on releasing bags, clothing, ceramic plates, a sticker club, and zines!
Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?
My goal that drives my creative journey is to leave a mark on this earth that says “I was here, and you should see it.” Not because I think I deserve it but because I believe everyone deserves to be heard. Every trial and tribulation I have gone through I will create from and I hope that someone can take a piece for themselves to either walk with it, cherish it, relate to it, or learn from it. I want to create pieces that teach people to love, to be intimate with one another. And on the other hand, I want to draw a fun little guy and have a kid resonate it with it for years, I want to inspire children and adults alike to no longer yearn for what they love and to create it instead.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.
I think something that non-creatives struggle to understand is hating your own piece.
Creatives have a yearning in their soul to share, to create, and to feel. Not that everyone doesn’t, I believe it’s only human to. But to feel a twist in your stomach when you can’t get your perspective on trauma right, to be shaky from lack of water after painting for 6 hours straight only for the colors not to make sense, to rip a piece to shreds because it wasn’t how you needed it to be portrayed, re-doing your line-art over 20 times, it’s all included with the lifestyle baby. We have to learn to re-center ourselves just as a potter re-centers their clay on the wheel.
Imagine pouring everything you have into a piece, Let’s take a painting on ones trauma for example. Sometimes the artist will work for weeks, even months and still can’t portray the feelings of fear in a face- but you think it looks like fear! But, it’s not their fear. They’re unable to portray what they meant to portray with the piece. Maybe they’ll never be able to express that fear- and they’ll hate that piece until they can “fix it” or get rid of it. But they still have every right to hate that beautiful piece. It’s theirs, and their standards. It doesn’t mean its a bad piece or that they are a bad artist. It’s hard to understand, but I feel we all have standards like that in our life to some degree.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ko-fi.com/forizzleem
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forizzlesart/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@forizzleem/videos
Image Credits
Amanda Rorie (photography) & Emiley Schnieders (art)