Meet Emily Fernando | Graphic designer, illustrator, photographer

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

Hi Emily, we’d love to hear about a book that’s had an impact on you.
A book that I’ve read that has had an impact on my life was “Garden City” by John Mark Comer. I would definitely recommend it to creatives as it talks about “the art of work, rest, and the art of being human”. My faith plays a major role in what I create and why I create. This book highlights the importance of working from rest instead of working to rest. It beautifully analyzes the way we were created to work and ties it back to our relationship with our Creator. It was a quick read not because it was necessarily short, but because it was so hard to put down once I started it.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Ever since I was little, creating has always been a major part of my life. Whether that was sewing together clothes for my dolls out of fabric scraps, drawing in my notebooks, or taking some extremely pixelated photos on my parent’s flip phone, I cannot remember a time where I was not creating something. I strongly believe that what you say you want to be when you grow up as a child bears much significance. Fast forward to college where it seems like selecting a major determines the course of your entire life. In the back of my mind, I always knew that I wanted to do something that allowed me to create, however, fears such as stability and failure, hindered me from accepting that. My faith plays a main role in this journey of identifying and overcoming fears I did not know I had. I believe that it is going to continually be a process of learning and growing. The lesson I continually tell others that are passionate about creativity is to “start somewhere” and do not be afraid of creating “bad art”. Balancing being content with where you are at while seeking to learn/grow is so important. I have learned how easy it is to compare yourself to other artists, care about what other people think, and create for the sake of posting instead of out of a place of passion. Good, authentic things take time.

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’ve been slowly discovering more and more about Houston as I am a big advocate for exploring your own city. Coffee is a big part of my life and I spend much of my time at coffeeshops. Two of my favorites are Blendin Coffee Club and Tenfold. The people there are kind and the coffee is amazing!

When the weather is nice, I like to enjoy the sun and go on a picnic. Located in the middle of a charming neighborhood, the architecture and nature at the Menil Drawing Collection is beautiful and a peaceful spot to enjoy with some good company. Buffalo Bayou park is another one of my favorite spots. Here you can take a nice scenic walk or sit on the lawn and take in the entirety of the Houston Skyline.

Growing up, my family would always go to Bellaire ( Houston’s Chinatown) to eat at the many restaurants and fun dessert places. If you love trying new food, definitely check out this area of town!

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?
Part of the beauty of creating is connecting with people. Those that have given me the opportunity to design, paint, draw, or photograph for them play a significant part in my story. Specifically, Jon Webster and John Jin Han were catalysts into this journey as they were one of the first people to commission me for a project. I am so grateful for those that have believed and trusted in me to create for them. These experiences push me to become better at my craft and grow as an artist.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madebyemfern/?hl=en

Other: email madebyemfern@gmail.com for inquiries or to connect!