Meet Emily Porter | Artist & Art Educator

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

Hi Emily, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I understand risk tends to be something that might not align with societal standards, and therefore is risky simply for being unknown, uncommon, with a high tendency for failure. I always have to ask myself if those standards are mine and if not, what are my standards? Is failure the worst thing?
I’ve moved into a place of feeling for a YES when it comes to making decisions. If it doesn’t feel like an all-caps YES, I often don’t go for it. And, most importantly, I need to move into the YES which can be scary, can feel risky.
For example, I recently felt very strongly it was time to quit my job, travel for a month, and come home to work on creative projects exclusively for a while, unemployed. Huge risk, right? That’s how it seemed to some people I shared my plans with but the YES compelled me. After I quit, it took time and energy to untangle from things but now I’m working in my studio like a full-time job and trusting that everything will work out. A little scary because of the unknowns but I haven’t been this joyful in a long while. Therefore, taking risks has led to joy and a creative life for me. What’s better?

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I come from a long line of handicraft traditions, like quilting, stitching, crochet, etc. And I have early ancestors who were weavers and textile merchants. This is an important part of my story. I feel to carry these traditions along, and I have naturally gravitated to handicraft in my life. I learned sewing as a kid from my mother and aunt. My work today includes apparel design (forthcoming), textile art, printmaking, stitching. I’ve been shy about putting my work out there but I’ve gotten positive responses from viewers. That’s encouraging.
The environment I grew up in discouraged me from career ambitions generally, but especially from becoming an artist. If I was going to work (outside the home), I should pick something that makes money, something “normal”. This messaging held me back for a while. I ended up making costumes and apparel samples for designers but rarely had the courage to do my own thing and put it out there.

Honestly, the way I’ve worked to overcome my setbacks is through healing work. Mindful meditation has done a lot for me to arrive at self love and acceptance, which has cleared the path for me to get aligned with my true nature and work. I want to emphasize that it has been easier said than done and a long journey. Unresolved trauma kept me in survival mode, unable to create or be seen. “Doing the work” is such a worn out phrase but it is the key to unlocking and releasing the things that hold us back. In healing, I can hold all the parts of my life and let them inform my work in beautiful ways. For anyone who is a true creative but has family expectations and pressures for a different path, it’s hard to disappoint our loved ones or make them worry about us. But a huge part of coming into the joy of a creative life for me was having to let all that go; getting on my path and staying on it is all I need to do. And everyone still loves me. If they worry about me, I don’t need to fix it for them. I need to be myself to be happy.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I’m a nature nerd, so I would first get some Trinidadian food from Jen’s Roti shop and we’d go to Prospect Park for a picnic. We would look for art installations in the park and pop into the boat house’s Audubon area. We would walk up to the Brooklyn Botanic Garden on a weekday morning when it’s less crowded and have lunch at Cheryl’s Global Soul café on Underhill. We’d hit the Brooklyn Museum on a First Saturday party night and try to get into Chavela’s for Mexican food.
We’d check out what’s happening at Industry City or Red Hook by way of art shows, and take the East River ferry somewhere. Another day, we would see what’s at the Bushwick Collective art gallery and take a murals tour in the area. We’d go to my friend’s style shop, Lagoon, in Bed-Stuy and eat Ethiopian food at RAS in Crown Heights. I would also gather friends together for a crafternoon at the Art Cafe + Bar.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Candida Moreira is a dear friend I met early in the pandemic. Our relationship has been mostly virtual but our connection is rich and inspiring. She has been a champion of my creative life and a nurturing guide in general. My thanks to her!

Website: https://www.emilyjporter.com

Instagram: @emilyj_porter

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emily-porter-28646368/