We recently connected with Emma Banko and have shared our conversation below.
Emma, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. When did you first know you wanted to pursue a creative/artistic path professionally?
I’ve been drawing ever since I was little. Every school notebook I had in middle school was filled with doodles in the corners of the pages of my friends, favorite animals, and book characters that I loved. As soon as I found out that you could actually make art for your career, I knew that was what I wanted to do. I had so many supportive people in my life that pushed me to apply to SCAD and pursue art seriously. Once I got there, I shuffled between a bunch of different practices, including animation and children’s book illustration, before I fell in love with surface design. As soon as I did my first surface design project, a collection of paper goods for birthday cards and wrapping paper, I knew that it was the perfect path for me.
Emma, 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 an illustrator and surface designer from Annapolis, Maryland. I graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Illustration and a concentration in Surface Design. My work is playful, colorful, and fun. I design repeat patterns and illustrations that can be applied to paper goods, apparel, and home decor. I got into this kind of work after taking a class at SCAD called Type and Image. It opened my eyes to the world of surface design and I fell in love with the process of building patterns and creating collections. I’m really inspired by the world around me so nature and animals always play a big role in my work. My goal with my work is make people smile and create things that bring joy into people’s lives. Currently I’m working on opening a shop to sell my work. It should be open by mid-January and I’ll be selling greeting cards, stickers, and some other products as well!
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
Since I started college in 2019, I had to do do a year and a half of classes during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a hard adjustment to make for me and I had a really difficult time doing my studio art classes online. During that time I struggled to find inspiration and had a hard time being isolated. I debated taking time off from college during the pandemic, but ultimately I powered through and I believe that I am a better artist because of it. That time of my life taught me a lot of things about myself as an artist. I learned what kind of environments I’m most successful in and how to work around obstacles in my life to stay productive.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is seeing how my art can put a smile on people’s faces. I recently sold my work at an art market for the first time and it was really amazing to see how people reacted to my work. It made me want to continue to make fun, silly work that can bring a little bit of joy into people’s everyday life. I’ve always loved supporting small businesses of artists that I love and because of that I’m working on opening up a shop for people to buy my work on various products.
Contact Info:
- Website: emmabanko.com
- Shop: https://emmabankoart.etsy.com/
- Instagram: @emmabankoart
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emma-banko-1675b5253/