We recently connected with Emily Loughlin and have shared our conversation below.
Emily , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
I am a multi-disciplinary artist who loves to walk the line where are and fashion meet. Self-expression is an incredible form of performance art, and an incredible communication tool. Fashion is therefore an important tool for me to express myself through, and I donate a percentage of the sales from my fashion and jewelry line, Fair Sage, to those whose expression of their inner beauty makes them more vulnerable than the rest of us in our current society: the LGBTQIA+ community. Their bravery to be them selves and express their inner beauty is fundamental to all of us being able to do so.
I also care deeply about sustainability and practices that work with our planet, rather than against it. In my fashion and jewelry line as well as in my sculpture and collage work, I seek to use post-consumer materials wherever possible. I find this practice to be deeply inspiring, and I hope that it can set an example for others as well. There are so many affordable or free materials in the post-consumer waste stream, and working this way not only keeps things out of landfills, but also makes art and creativity more accessible to all.
Emily , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am a multi-disciplinary artist hailing from the mountain west. I have has always loved jewelry and fashion, wearing home made pieces as young as 5. My love of art drove me towards a career balancing fine art and fashion, building recycled sculpture, collage, installation and public art pieces, as well as working as a professional wardrobe stylist.
The goal of my practice is to create objects that spark that courage, curiosity, and joy. I use recycled materials and found objects to show how we can find magic in unexpected places–like the mundane and cast aside. Such visions build the foundation for a courageous, curious, and joyful life. I use the theme of interconnectedness as a tool to illuminate seeds of joy and curiosity in those who engage with my work. Since I conceive of existence as a single body, and us as moving parts within it, my work encourages the viewer to internalize of how we treat one another, as well as the environment in which we reside. If we can conceive of existence as a single living body, it helps us understand and apply the golden rule literally. Looking through this lens with courage, curiosity and joy, it becomes natural to seek ways to build a better world together.
In 2020, I picked up my beads again for the first time in many years, and my love for the intersection of art and fashion was fully realized in my jewelry business, Fair Sage. With the help of SCAD alumni, designer and close friend Kelsey Currier, the brand got off its feet and into the world.
Fashion is the expression of our innermost joy, and Fair Sage seeks to empower those whose lights are systematically put out by modern culture. Originally inspired by rainbow colors, Loughlin uses a portion of the sales from Fair Sage to support the Utah Pride Center and the Trans Housing Alliance.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
When I graduated from college, I was dead set on being an artist, and took odd jobs to pay rent for many years. In this time, I had an extremely limited budget–I basically made enough to cover my basic cost of living, and did not have a budget for art supplies. My love of nature and commitment to environmental sustainability, in addition to my budget constraints, led me down the path of using recycled materials for my art, fashion and jewelry endeavors. I am proud to say that through this resourcefulness, I have grown in more interesting and unique ways than I could have imagined. Even through the growth has been slower, I believe this constraint has enabled me to build more a sustainable, responsible and joyful business as a result.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
The goal of my creative journey is to highlight what is joyful about the world for myself and others, and to foster curiosity and courage around the idea that our world is beautiful and worth fighting for. Magic happens when we foster our own joy, and use it in the service of our community.
Contact Info:
- Website: PORTFOLIO: www.emilyquinnloughlin.com SHOP: www.shopfairsage.com
- Instagram: @emilyquinnloughlin (business account @fair.sage)
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-loughlin-35149780/