We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Emma Erion-Brewer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Emma, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump back to the first dollar you earned as a creative? What can you share with us about how it happened?

I spent the better part of 2017 creating my company Emma Sage Fine Art and painting my first set of paintings in my Party Animals series. It was just me, my now husband and my immediate family who saw them, so I had no idea what others would think. Then in preparation for my first art show that September I got my paintings photographed and made into prints, magnets and greeting cards. Going into that art show I had no idea what to expect or how my art would be received by strangers – to my shock my booth was busy the whole day and I sold a massive amount of inventory. It was a mixture of relief that all my hard work was paying off, and deep pride that complete strangers were resonating with what I created. So many people were coming up to me and saying things like “this animal reminds me of my Uncle” or “this one makes me smile”. It was such a good feeling to finally be out of my creative bubble and realize that what I created was actually impacting people the way I hoped it would.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I’m Emma, the artist behind Emma Sage Fine Art. I’m originally from the Washington, DC area, and now live in Santa Monica, CA with my husband and two young sons.

I studied Painting & Printmaking at Virginia Commonwealth University. After taking a break from art for few years after graduating, I finally got the art bug again and knew I needed to start fueling my passion. After a year of getting re-acquainted with painting (and learning how to use acrylics!), I launched Emma Sage Fine Art in 2017 with a goal of creating whimsical, fun, accessible art that brings joy into the world and a smile to the faces of those who see it.

My “Party Animals” series depicts animals in their best party attire. I get inspiration for each piece from the animals themselves. I imagine a personality for each animal, which then inspires their outfit. In addition, I have a series of “Dogs in Glasses”, “Baby Party Animals”, and I’m currently working on a new series called “Animals in Hollywood”, which will be various animals dressing up as iconic movie roles.

I sell the original acrylic paintings, prints, magnets, greeting cards and stickers. I also accept pet portrait commissions.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I went to college specifically for art, and my major “Painting and Printmaking” was set up for us to become career artists. However, there were no mandatory business classes which to this day baffles me. Being an artist for a living is not just about creating art, you also need to know how to run a successful business. I’ve had to do my own research and learning, and I’m still figuring out things that should’ve been taught to me in school. So my advice for any artist currently in art school is to take some business and/or marketing classes on the side to better prepare you for launching your career.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

The most rewarding part of being an artist is seeing someone’s positive reactions to my art. The process of making it can be long and challenging, but the end result is always worth all the effort.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emmasagefineart.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/emmasagefineart