Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Tolipova.
Hi Emily, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
Where’d The Wild Things Go started as a passion project way back in 2020. Initially it was a series of postcards featuring endangered species. I would photograph the postcards around town and create open dialogue about where are these animals? Why aren’t we seeing them? We have these big cities but at what cost?
Nowadays, I still carry the postcards but have expanded into so much more! My work combines a fun combination of play and education. I want people to interact with my art, whether that’s learning about different local birds with my bird bingo cards, finding out fun facts of endangered species on the postcards, or seeing what endangered species live in your own state. I try to have a little bit of everything!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely been a bit of a rollercoaster! I initially started my business in the midwest, it was all online, and also the middle of the pandemic at the time. Most of my products consisted of postcards or card sets, encouraging people to connect during those periods of isolation.
Then in 2021 my family and I, along with the business, moved across the country to Austin, TX. It was a whole new culture and audience to get familiar with. As the pandemic ramped down, I started finally doing in person markets for the first time after my son was born and have been riding those waves ever since!
There has definitely been a lot of figuring out balance between being a parent, to running a small business, to figuring out what works in the new market you’re in. I just remind myself to try to do a little at a time and not let the bumps in the road take me down with them.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I specialize in wildlife watercolor illustrations of endangered and local species! All my work starts analog with traditional painting for everything from the typography to the creatures themselves.
What I am most known for (and also what I am most proud of) are my bird bingo series. My Austin Bird Bingo features 24 birds local to Austin/Travis county, is color coded based on migration patterns, has a QR to scan for more fun facts, plus you can reuse the plastic sleeve on the outside for even more on the go bingo fun!
What sets me apart I would say, is the incorporation of play into my work. I am a big believer in that it’s hard to conserve or protect something you’ve never interacted with, or sometimes never even heard of. It’s by getting people to learn about these different species, and excited to interact with them in a new way that really creates an impact.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One of my favorite memories growing up was going crawdad fishing with my mom and brother at local creeks. It was so fun to watch how the crawdads jumped backwards throughout the river rocks. I would always collect fun and unique stones as the cold water splashed around our ankles. It’s definitely something I hope to with my own son as he gets older.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.wheredthewildthingsgo.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wheredthewildthingsgo/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wheredthewildthingsgo
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@wheredthewildthingsgo
Image Credits
Godaddy Emily Meyer
