We recently connected with Emma Eubanks and have shared our conversation below.
Emma , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?
One thing I would change about the educational system is allowing young students the freedom to figure themselves out. I was lucky enough to have a pretty clear idea of what I wanted to do with my career from a young age, so I could tailor my choices and opportunities starting as early as junior high. Not every student is so lucky, and so much of our schooling years are about learning just the basics. While this is undeniably important, to go from having a very general education to having to choose, and pay for, a highly specialized one, doesn’t give people the freedom to explore who they are and what they’re passionate about before that choice needs to be made.
So many struggle in school because the structure of the class or our education system as a whole doesn’t fit their necessary style of learning. Sometimes, the issue is that the subject matter is something they have no affinity for. Countless people leave their public education years feeling burned out, defeated, or like school isn’t something they’re capable of succeeding in. It’s truly a shame that the college years are among the first where you can really explore diverse topics and career paths, and it’s even more of a shame that it’s behind, for some, an impossible paywall. I think public school should leave room for the fact that beyond being test-takers and future workers, we’re all humans who need to feel complete and self-actualized too.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Emma Eubanks, and I color for a living. By day, I’m a 9-5 graphic designer, but I’m a digital illustrator in my freelance career. I’ve done work for large companies and individuals, so I get a range of unique projects: I’ve done book covers, beer labels, merchandise for musicians, and murals, just to name a few.
One big thing that sets me apart from others is my style- I really lean in to making work that feels the most freeing to me, and that’s something clients really respond to. When I’m hunched over a digital tablet or staring at a laptop all day, it can feel constricting compared to analog art forms. Creating pieces of work that are big and bold helps me feel a sense of freedom I might not otherwise have.
Having such a strong personal voice in my work comes from having access to multiple forms of inspiration. I have family members who make quilts, collages, and draw, and the way these art forms have been used in my family (and historically) to tell stories or pass down familial knowledge is something I’ve grown to really appreciate as a beautiful form of record keeping. I grew up in Minneapolis and St. Paul, a metro area with a hugely diverse population, so I’ve always been interested in depicting communities and human interaction. My art tends to focus on moments where I feel a strong sense of connectedness to strangers, so I draw a lot of crowds and people dancing. Something that has shaped my aesthetic as an illustrator is developing little quirks into major parts of my style. For example- I’ve never been one for anatomy, so instead of continuing to focus on getting the human body “right”, I lean in to trying to capture how the human body “feels”, using exaggerated proportions or omitting body parts altogether to capture a specific sense of time. This, along with strong and unique color choices, has really helped me define who I am visually, and gives clients an idea of exactly what I’m all about.
When I’m doing client work, my job is to use my voice to amplify someone else’s message. I have to focus on not just prioritizing my own values, but theirs as well. Sometimes this can mean toning down my visual style, or tailoring the subject matter a bit, but I try to be very conscious of taking work with clients who I respect so that I don’t feel like I’m losing myself. I’ve also learned my lesson about taking projects that don’t mesh with my interests and skillset- In my experience it’s impossible to have an authentic voice, or exciting finished product, when creating work I don’t feel personally connected to.
I do lots of personal work as well, to hone my craft and to let loose a little. Lately I’ve been focusing on “being bad”- trying new mediums that I have no experience in, so that my focus is on the act of creating rather than having a finished product for someone else to view. Being able to create for a living is such a gift, and one I try to embrace with everything I have.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients for me has been, hands down, through personal recommendation and the friends I’ve made throughout the years. I’m very lucky to be part of a community full of artists that cheer each other on! I think it can be hard to embrace the term “networking”, especially when working predominantly on a local scale, because no one wants to feel as though we’re commodifying relationships, or basing our connections on what we can gain.
That being said, as I went through art school and met other artists, I was building up a network of people that I’ve worked with and for, or have recommended me for jobs. For me, “networking” as a verb feels so transactional, but the positive side effect of maintaining genuine connections with friends and collaborators is the same. I think the key is to seek out real relationships, and in my experience the work tends to follow.
My art social media isn’t just a page where I post art, it’s where I have space to interact with artists I love and celebrate the achievements of my friends. Beyond maintaining connections, it also allows me to stay at the forefront of people mind’s or have others do the same for me, introducing me to new audiences and prospective clients. My advice is to let people know that you enjoy what they do, or that you’d like to work with them- there’s nothing to lose!
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding thing about being an artist is having the means to express my interests and worldview in the best way I know to express them, and invite others to participate in my little reflection of the life.
Feeling like I’m offering up my experience on this earth can feel vulnerable and hard, especially in moments where I don’t like the response is as good as I’d like it to be, but when I hear that people resonate with my work it’s incredibly validating. It’s also given me the opportunity to connect with people on a larger scale than I otherwise would, through public art and pieces displayed inside people’s homes. It makes me feel like I’m a small part of the backdrop of other’s lives even when I’m not aware of it, and that’s important to me, since so much of my art is inspired by the people and locations that make up the backdrop of mine.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.emmaeubanks.com
- Instagram: @emmastopdrawing