ABOUT ME
I was born to be an artist, and that journey began in Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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Initially after high school, I studied art education at California University of Pennsylvania (now PennWest California), but after two years, I switched focus and ended up 1000 miles away from home in Orlando FL where I attended The DAVE (Digital Animation and Visual Effects) School to study digital animation and visual effects. After earning my degree, I worked in Orlando for a small television studio on a children's show for a little while, but then in less than a year, I accepted a job at a studio in Los Angeles CA.
For a few years, I bounced between projects, working on game trailers and independent films. I enjoyed my career, but I realized I needed “home.” I wanted to move back to Pennsylvania. I was six months pregnant when I moved home, and when my son was born I put my career on hold for a while and focused on being a mom.
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When my son was four, I got back into the workforce, but I didn't get back into anything creative professionally at first. I kept up my art in the background, getting reacquainted with my creative side. Gradually, over several years, I started accepting commissions as friends and family reached out to me with requests for artwork. It was a side-hustle.
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In the spring of 2017, I accepted a position at an architectural illustration firm here in Pittsburgh. I was back.
A few months later though, my world changed again.
In September of 2017, my son was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes, and as the parent with sole custody, everything screeched to a halt.
Within a few months of becoming the sole caretaker of a newly diagnosed child with diabetes, it became apparent I couldn't keep a full-time job away from home. I needed to use my skills to make a living on my own, while also having the flexibility for exhausting overnight caretaking as well as doctor's appointments and sick days and calls from the school nurse.
At the very end of 2017, I met up with an old friend and had a long talk. With their encouragement, I decided to become a full-time professional self-employed artist. I was going to take the leap.
It has been a wild ride since then. I started selling my artwork and stickers on Etsy. I wrote and illustrated a children’s book about Type 1 Diabetes. I started doing regular freelance work. I designed a few drumheads and album covers for musicians. I started doing more commissioned artwork. I do stamp illustrations for a local paper-crafting company. I have done character design for authors. In 2019, I started doing courtroom sketching. For a time, until the pandemic, I even did face painting.
My dream in life is to make art and make a mark with it to leave behind. I will pursue that dream until the end of my days.
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Thanks for stopping by!
-Em
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