We were lucky to catch up with Emily Austin recently and have shared our conversation below.

Emily, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What did your parents do right and how has that impacted you in your life and career?

When I was growing up, my parents were incredibly supportive of my creative interests. They made sure I got a strong arts education from a wide variety of teachers both in and out of school. I know this required a certain amount of financial sacrifice as well as an investment of time and energy getting me to classes. Many of the most impactful classes I took were small scale public drawing or painting lessons offered in our community; I suspect my mom was always on the lookout for various opportunities. As a result, I became familiar with a wide variety of techniques and media as a young teen and also began to cultivate appreciation for different periods of art history. Different teachers also stretched my brain in various directions, revealing a host of valuable ways to think about creativity.
All of this allowed me to experiment and gravitate naturally toward the types of art that appealed to me the most, and helped me to realize I wanted to study both fine art and design more deeply after high school. The foundational skills I learned also ensured that by the time I started college I could truly work on refining skills rather than having to spend time learning basics.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am an artist and graphic designer working through my business, Emily Austin Design, to provide a variety of services for clients: commissioned watercolor paintings, business marketing materials, illustrations for publication, and reproductions of my own paintings. Day to day, this means running an Etsy shop where I sell prints, note cards, bookmarks, and the occasional original painting; managing requests for commissions from private individuals; crafting illustrations for authors or publishers of original works; creating branded content for some local businesses in my community; and working on paintings to be displayed at local art shows.

I have a particular love for illustrating works from the realm of speculative fiction. Reading is a big part of my life, and I have always had a desire to engage with my favorite stories both creatively and academically. The works of author J.R.R. Tolkien are particularly central to my own story. The Lord of the Rings had long been a favorite book, so when I started my business about 6 years ago and began developing my social media presence, Tolkien’s world of Middle-earth was a natural place to turn for inspiration. At the same time I also began pursuing a master’s degree in Language and Literature with a focus on Tolkien, which I finished in 2022. I believe my familiarity with the source material helps me to create thoughtful works of art in that world. One of the achievements I am most proud of is the inclusion of two of my paintings in the official HarperCollins Tolkien Calendar for 2023. They are featured alongside the works of several other wonderful artists inspired by Tolkien.

One of the best parts of speculative fiction is the many intersections it has with history, geography, and culture. Even when I create works that are not meant to depict a certain story or scene, they spring from a foundation that was formed by reading, by travel, and all-around enthusiastic study of the world. I particularly enjoy creating open ended paintings that viewers might use to imagine a variety of stories for themselves. Hopefully my works will continue to participate in a symbiotic community of creativity for a long time to come.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I truly love the collaborative nature of my work. People often ask about where creative inspiration comes from and how to keep it going—and of course there are many answers to this, including simply doggedly doing the work until the inspiration arrives! Still, for me, helping to realize another person’s vision is particularly exciting. Sometimes this is bringing the words of a writer to visual life; sometimes it is helping a client to get an image in their mind’s eye out into the world; sometimes it’s helping a friend or local business to realize their goals. In any case, much of the satisfaction I find in creative work lies in this inherent collaboration, from watching the process unfold and (hopefully) bringing joy to whomever I’m working with or to whoever ends up with the finished piece.

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 non-creatives sometimes think of people in creative professions as an inherently different type of person. In my experience, people often will say to artists something like, “oh I’m not creative, I can barely draw stick figures, I wish I could paint or draw.” I think I understand why people tend to say this: it’s a way of communicating appreciation for another’s specific expression of artistry. Still, hearing this always makes me a little sad, because I truly believe everyone has some form of creativity within and perhaps simply hasn’t had access to it. Hearing such statements can also feel a little alienating although it’s usually not meant that way. We don’t all share the same talents or skills, as these take time and investment and also an element of luck to develop. Nevertheless, I firmly believe everyone deserves to feel creative (and it’s also important to point out that even artists don’t feel creative all the time!). Trying a new hobby or skill is a great way to better understand the day to day lives of artists and creatives, and to discover new things about yourself as well. Maybe sign up for a drawing class at a local library or community college, or buy some simple paints and do some experimenting on your own. Use your phone or other camera to take some thoughtful pictures of the world around you. Maybe plant a tiny garden or learn how to propagate a houseplant. Trying something new might involve stepping a little bit out of your comfort zone, but I truly think it’s worth it, and it gives us a deeper connection and appreciation for the skills of others.
I myself have always felt a bit uncomfortable as a teacher, but I accept small teaching opportunities from time to time because I feel passionately about encouraging others and want to help with the cross-pollination of various forms of skill and knowledge. In turn this helps me to appreciate the skill dedication shown by those who spend their life teaching!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://emilyaustindesign.com
• Instagram: @emilyaustindesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilyaustindesign/
• Twitter: @emmekamalei
• Other: https://www.etsy.com/shop/EmilyAustinDesign

Image Credits
The photos in which I appear are credited to Ryan Austin (my spouse). All others I took myself.