Meet Alexa Wright | Multi-Disciplinary Artist, Designer, Art Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Alexa Wright and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alexa, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?

I was born and raised in Houston, Texas. I’m lucky to have amazingly supportive parents who nurtured my sister’s and my own wide-ranging interests. From my British dad, a scientist and engineer, I inherited a passionate interest in understanding the natural world. My insatiably curious Vietnamese mom was totally averse to the concept of boredom and encouraged endless exploration. They both enjoyed traveling and thanks to them, we got to visit many parts of the world. Growing up, I loved visiting my Vietnamese grandparents’ home in California. My grandfather’s eclectic taste had a profound influence on my design style, while my grandmother passed down her love of handicrafts to me.

My extended family is like a mini-United Nations. We’re all over the map! Coming from a multicultural family had a huge impact on my worldview, and experiencing a mix of cultures and traditions has shaped my creative identity and path. My work is a synthesis of expression across many disciplines — digital design, furniture, photography, video, and beyond. I love exploring the common threads between art forms, along with what makes them unique, and finding the ways they can be interwoven.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

My artistic choices are driven by my fascination with the continuum of past, present, and future; the relationship between analog and digital; the concept of universality; macro and micro perspectives; teachings from the natural world; creative projects as experiments with controls and variables.

My work encompasses art, craft, and design. My creativity has many outlets. I enjoy making furniture as much as taking photographs or fashioning a piece of clothing or making a video — the forms and permutations are endless!

As a teenager with many hobbies, I found it challenging to focus on just one area of interest. I attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC where I earned a BFA in fashion design. After internships and graduating in 2013, I began using my design knowledge to help brands express themselves through visual identity systems, apps, websites, illustration and beyond. I founded Alexa Wright, Inc. in 2015, moved to Los Angeles, and my work grew into art direction, concept development, and marketing.

My client work and independent projects have taken on a symbiotic relationship over the years. Outside of client projects, I continue to exercise and incorporate skills to deepen creative fluency, challenge myself, and nurture curiosity. I started a YouTube channel to share my love for the creative process. Producing my own videos opened my eyes to the joy of fusing art forms into a cohesive experience. Last year I decided to have a go at e-commerce and released a collection of limited edition face masks. I donated a portion of the proceeds to Crafting the Future, a nonprofit that works to diversify the fields of art, craft and design with BIPOC artists. Lately I’ve been exploring producing original music for my videos and creating artwork with 3D design software.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
An ideal week in the city would include: picnics and drawing in Griffith Park; Thai noodles and curry in Thai Town; a show at the Palladium; hikes with coastal views, smoothies, and beach walks in Malibu, or a woodsy hike on the East side; Tacos Azteca in Glendale; food and drinks at Sage Vegan Bistro Echo Park, Little Pine or Magpie’s in Silverlake; onigiri and boba tea in Little Tokyo; scenic drives in the hills; a backyard gathering with a few friends and food; a night in with a couch hang, nail-painting, and face masks, sharing music and conversation. If I had to pick one thing: picnics all day every day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many people who have impacted my development so far — to name just a few… My boyfriend Curtis Nishimura (freelance creative director) has a heart of gold, and brings nothing but grounding light and love into my life. My supportive parents and sister Kia (nutrition coach) have always been there to listen and provide their support when I’m working through life choices or creative ideas. I have huge respect for each and every one of my fellow creative friends. Amiko Simonetti (artist), Edwin Mohney (artist/designer) and Natalie Black (photographer) are a few of my close visual art friends who inspire me on my creative journey. I’m grateful for all the filmmakers, writers, makers, musicians, and creators who share their gifts generously.

Website: https://www.alexa-wright.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexa_wright

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexawrightinc

Youtube: https://youtube.com/alexawright

Other: Shop: https://shop.alexa-wright.com