This month, we’re sitting down with Nashville-based artist, Emily Brown, the owner of E.E. Brown that creates beautiful wall installations and decor using leather as her main medium.
Join us as we learn more about what inspires her to create. Keep on reading below.
At what age did you realize you wanted to be an artist?
I’m not sure I can accurately answer that question, but I can definitively say that my company started in the summer of 2021 with a lot of pent-up passion, keenness, and uneasiness from the pandemic days.
I had grown up in a very artistic family, with my Father being an architect and a pianist and my Mother being a musician as well, so it led me to be a little confused about what type of “artist” I would be one day or if that’s what I really wanted. Since I was little, I always imagined my life in the music industry, and despite creating art as often as I could, I chose music. It wasn’t until I ran into an old high school friend during my college years, who was puzzled that I was majoring in Music and not Fashion Design, that it made me question if I had made the right choice.
Sometimes people can see something in you that you don’t see about yourself. Through years and many failed stints in the music industry, I never stopped creating. I can confidently say now, that I have made the right choice, and am paving a way for myself in the leather world that hadn’t been widely known.
What inspires you?
My biggest inspiration has always been my Father and his love for architecture and modern art. He introduced me to some of his favorite designers and how to appreciate design work through building. A lot of my most recent works have been designed with an architectural lens that incorporates shapes, sharp lines, and repetition.
Tell us a little bit more about your muse?
Frank Lloyd Wright is an Architect whom my Father and I deeply admire, and he made a lasting impact on the design world. There’s not a place in the world where I haven’t seen his work or work inspired by his designs. His designs are timeless and that’s exactly what I want people to experience and describe my work as.
What excites you about the future of your industry?
Specifically in the leather industry, a Fine Artist is not very common. There are a handful of leather artists that I have befriended across the globe, but it’s a small crowd. I’m excited to challenge the ways that leather is used and develop new ideas to inspire others working in this craft.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming artists or kids who dream to become
artists one day?
Everything is experimental. It’s okay to try something new and be disappointed if it doesn’t work out. Use that as motivation to keep moving and figure it out! No one is a great Artist right out of the gate and it takes time, lulls, and drive to really master your techniques.
What are ways that you give back to the Nashville community?
My husband and I are very involved in a company called Aerial Recovery, based in Nashville, which helps in disaster relief work and anti-human trafficking work across the world. They help bring purpose back into the lives of past/retired Veterans and First Responders to use their years of training for good. Not only does my husband physically help in their mission work but we also financially support them each month. When you support me as an Artist, you also support Aerial Recovery.
What project do you have coming up next?
Currently, I am dipping my toes into the functional art realm and creating a leather lampshade. I am nearing the end of the prototype stage and refining the design, and if all goes well, I hope to introduce this design to the public.
Where can people connect with you?
The best place to connect with me would be through my website’s “Contact” page. If you’re more interested in seeing up-to-date works or my process, following me on social media @eebrownleatherworks would be best.
Thank you so much for joining us for this month’s &Artist Spotlight, Emily! We’re so happy to have your artwork featured throughout Ampersand Studios Nashville.
