Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Emily Tolipova. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Emily, appreciate you joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?
A lot of the work I create falls at the intersection of education and conservation. I do wildlife illustration of both endangered and local species but a project that combined all these things while helping to educate and get people interacting with their environment was Austin Bird Bingo.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
First off hello! My name is Emily Tolipova and I am a graphic designer and wildlife illustrator based in Austin, Texas. My work features endangered as well as local species in bright watercolors mixed with playful typography. It all originally started with a series of postcards and has since expanded to include prints, card sets, enamel pins, and now bird bingo cards!
I work full time as a graphic designer and follow my love of painting and watercolor in my free time. I first got into watercolor in college and have been in love with the process ever since. It’s a controlled chaos! Plus it gives me a nice respite where I can put my screens away and go analog with the process.
What I really want people to get from my work is to get excited about learning about the world around them. I believe that the more we learn about our world and the creatures in it, the more we want to interact with it, to conserve it. It’s all about that ripple effect. Whether it be by learning about birds near you and their migration patterns in Austin Bird Bingo, finding out fun facts about endangered species on the back of postcards, or seeing some fun word play on a print.
I am most proud of my latest project Austin Bird Bingo, it combines all my favorite things in one project. It’s full of play plus something you can interact with, it has lots of fun facts and info to learn something new, and it’s also sustainable with a reusability factor. I am always looking for a way to bring together my graphic and painting styles and this was honestly just so fun. I loved how it brought the community together in the production and promotion stages. There were lots of fun collaborations happening which really made it even more exciting!
The main things I want followers/fans/clients to know about my work is that it is beautiful as well as educational. It’s colorful as well as inventive. I also try to work in as much sustainability as I can throughout the production process. Whether that be eco-friendly shipping options, small batch production, handmade in Texas, or reusing other materials wherever possible. I think it is important to practice what you preach and to give back and support the environment while raising awareness about the creatures in it through illustrations.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I think it’s important to touch on some big tough things that happened in my personal life that definitely shaped my approach to my creative side hustle as well as my resiliency through it all.
Then with my son I found out I had a rare complication with HELLP syndrome, it was almost 2 months too early, and we found ourselves in the ER. What followed was the most traumatic event of my life, my organs were failing, they were pumping me full of drugs to make sure I wouldn’t have a seizure, and to this day a lot of it is still a blur. What followed were many trips to the NICU, PTSD, and a long recovery process of both mind and body. Looking back, it has been 2 years since all of that, today I have a healthy toddler and a thriving business. It was after the birth of my son where I really started to push myself to make the time for the things I wanted to do. It was a lesson in that a lot of times things are going to happen to us that are far out of our control and tomorrow is not guaranteed so you might as well try the things you are wanting to do now vs later.
Since then I have created 100+ illustrations/products, expanded into an enamel pin line, appeared on live television, had my work featured in vending machines, art galleries, museums, and gardens. I’ve spoked on podcasts, traveled to new cities, and met so many wonderful people. I’ve found a beautiful community of wonderful fellow creatives. None of which would have happened if I had let those big hard moments stop me.
What I want people to know is that hard times come for all of us, it’s how we approach them and overcome them that really makes the difference. Choose the life you are wanting to create today, because who knows what tomorrow holds.
Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?
I think sometimes non-creatives just don’t know what all you can do with a creative career. I remember when I first told some of my family, the first thing that came to mind were Hallmark cards. But what I think is so cool, especially with graphic design and illustration, is that you can do so much with it. Every day is different. Almost everything we interact with on a daily basis was designed/created by someone. I have been able to do everything from branding to web design to packaging to murals to social media to augmented reality. The opportunities are honestly endless.
I think the more you interact with art as well as other mediums and experiences, the more ideas you will have on combining those things and creating even more new interactions from them down the line.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wheredthewildthingsgo.com
- Instagram: @wheredthewildthingsgo
- Facebook: @wheredthewildthingsgo
- Other: Tiktok @wheredthewildthingsgo Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Headshot & Bird Bingo Photos: Emily Meyer @too.many.emilys