Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Neira Pekmez. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Neira, thanks for joining us today. Can you talk to us about a project that’s meant a lot to you?

Most of my projects are incredibly meaningful or I wouldn’t have the patience or will power to do them at all. I work full time as an Executive Assistant and I am a new mom so my time is super limited and time is now very precious. I did a project with Selma Bacevac (Therapist and author) who wrote a children’s book about the war in Bosnia and how to talk about it with your child, she hired me to illustrate it. I was born in Bosnia and escaped because of the war so being able to collaborate with Selma on the book was a wonderful experience. I am currently putting together a series of illustrations on the postpartum journey and what it has felt like to me which has so much meaning and I hope it does for others who have and are experiencing it.

Neira, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I have been an illustrator almost my whole life. I am pretty much self-taught. I come from a long line of artists so drawing and painting has always been around me. My family and I escaped Bosnia in the 90s due to the war and when I came to the U.S drawing really helped me with learning the language. I started watching Sesame Street and all of the popular Disney movies and the animation is what got me into children’s illustrations. Love of children’s illustrations is what ended up getting me into having a passion for children’s books. Even adults can learn so much from a beautiful story and having illustrations that not only is enjoyed by the child but the adult can be inspired by it as well. I am currently in the midst of writing my first children’s story, it has been years in the making but I am hoping to finally release it next year. When Covid came around and I started having more time at home is when I finally had a reason to open up an Etsy shop and started selling prints. Most of my prints are children’s illustrations as well as my 2nd favorite theme – femininity. If I am not drawing a cute little animal, I tend to be inspired a lot by women’s bodies and auras. Both themes are so different but I love that I can be inspired in different ways.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

It makes me REALLY happy. Money is not a part of it and I think that aspect is what still keeps me creative. I also like the idea of being able to share what I love to do with the outside world and seeing other people enjoy it is a great feeling.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

Keep sharing, keep liking, keep buying! Music and art are the two things that suffer the most (and gets cut out first) so making it available to kids so they can appreciate it and have a creative outlet is so important. Music and art is emotional and compared to sports which is physical is never deemed to be a crucial part of a young life but we so desperately need it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.neirapekmez.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/neirapekmezdesigns/