Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Aniunas.
Hi Emily, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was born and raised in Delaware and went to the University of Delaware where I studied psychology and minored in fine art and design as well as disability studies. I’ve been an artist my entire life and have always enjoyed painting, printmaking, photography, collage, ceramics and everything else in between. I moved to Austin in August 2020 for a year of service with Americorps as an artist in residence with Imagine Art, a nonprofit art studio for artists of all abilities. I worked as a mixed media instructor with individual clients to explore their niche interests, expand their skills, and honestly just share our love of making art together in a safe space. Because I was surrounded by so much creativity and was working from home, I had a lot of freedom and time to myself so I began experimenting with a wide variety of different materials and mediums. I started with polymer clay making earrings, transitioned to clay trinket dishes, incense holders and ashtrays, to resin projects, all types of jewelry making, wall hangings, and it goes on. I started posting my work on Instagram and was getting a lot of good feedback so I opened up an Etsy shop. My Etsy was doing well but I wanted a more hands-on experience with selling my work so I impulsively signed up for my first pop up in the spring of 2021 with absolutely no idea what I was doing. Despite being largely underprepared (and half my display falling over from the high wind) I absolutely loved selling in person and meeting people who found value in my work so I started doing pop ups 2-3 times a month and haven’t stopped since. I’ve grown and learned so much since then and I have found my roots in the Austin pop up community. I am so happy to have found such a unique and special space for me to share my work.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Absolutely not. I moved across the country alone with complete strangers while my parents were going through a nasty divorce. Adding that on top of the stress of the pre-vaccine era of the pandemic weighed down on me a lot. Being in a different time zone than your family is hard. Mental health is hard. Trying to run and facilitate all of the moving pieces of a mini small business as one person is hard. Overcoming imposter syndrome is hard. But with all of the challenges, there have also been a lot of successes. I have found so many fellow artists and creatives that I would have never met had I not taken the big leap to uproot myself from my little hometown. Had I not moved here, I may not have ever found something I’m so passionate about. While it hasn’t been a smooth road to get to where I am, I feel so much gratitude to have arrived.
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?
The short answer is that I’m a mixed media artist, but I feel like that term doesn’t fully capture what I do. I make things that make me happy, things that I find cool, weird, freaky, quirky, beautiful, unique or whatever. I don’t and won’t make my art to appeal to a certain audience, but I make art to let my audience come find me- the people who find my porcelain baby doll hangings “relatable” and the ones who don’t scoff at my excessive eyeball jewelry. When they see my work, people either immediately “get” it or don’t and that’s one of my favorite things about my work. Whether or not someone likes it, it makes people feel a certain way, and that is exactly what it is supposed to do. I would say that my obsession with reuse and upcycling materials sets me apart from others. I love to give things that may seem lifeless a new life. You can catch me at Austin Creative Reuse most weekends digging through miniatures and doll legs to incorporate into my next piece. Simply put, I make what makes me come alive.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
While I wouldn’t say that I have one specific mentor, I find it incredibly important to surround yourself with other creatives and those who share your same passions and find fire in the same things you do. Find people who make things that you don’t know how to make, and share your skills with one another. Go to as many popups and art events as you can and talk to as many people as you can. In my short time popping up in Austin, I have found that meeting people is the best thing you can do to branch out and succeed.
Pricing:
- Earrings range from $10-$45
- Prints $15
- Original screenprints $40
- Incense holders $45-$50
- Ashtrays range from $30-$45
Contact Info:
- Email: emilyaniart@gmail.com
- Website: etsy.com/shop/emilyaniart
- Instagram: instagram.com/emilyaniart
