This month’s art is by artist Emily Lynn Perelman, who splits her time between home in South Florida and school in Boston, Massachusetts. Emily uses her bright and surreal illustrations to make sense of the world around her. Taking inspiration from everyday shapes and sights, she is always looking for a fresh way to capture her experiences.  She says her design was inspired by a “reflection on what it means to be mindful and in the moment.” Emily says, “This plays into the theme of intention because I believe it's important to hold onto the moments around you, both the static and transitional ones, and intentionally acknowledge what you're facing.”

For a little more about what inspired this artwork, process, and their life, here's a short Q&A:

Where is home for you?

Home is in South Florida but I spend much of the year at school in Boston

What is your definition of a successful life?

I think my ideal “successful life” would just be to exist in a place, mentally and physically, where I can do something with substance. To be in a place where I’m not always looking toward the future but content with the present, including the trivial things in the everyday. “Success” to me can mean making an impact within my community that can create sustainable change for a better world.

Describe your perfect day.

I’m a sucker for a good beach day.

How did you get into design?

I’ve been designing and creating for as long as I remember. I was privileged to be able to be in art classes from a young age which really let me foster my passion. During high school, I started to get more serious about my creative work and started building up a large collection of pieces.  It wasn’t until I started sharing my work via social media that I saw the possibility of design as a professional route. Since then, I’ve been lucky to find freelance design and illustration work
as well as having the ability to share my work on a larger scale. I’m currently attending Boston University with a Psychology major and Visual Arts minor which has a great impact on how I perceive the world and my work.

Where do you find inspiration?

There’s not really one place I go to for inspiration. I have some more literal places I go such as my Instagram feed or Pinterest, but I could also get inspired based on snippets of conversations I have, music, or something I see on a walk.

What's your dream design project?

I think designing an album cover or piece of art for one of my favorite bands/artists.

Which designers or thinkers influence/inspire you?

Amber Vittoria, Maria Medem, Livia Falcaru, Jake Foreman.

What was the inspiration behind this design?

I really enjoy exploring transitions in my work, it can be a literal day to night transition or something like this piece where a static scene finds transition within itself. The phrase “This Moment” stems from a recent fixation with trying to live in the present more. As cliche as that sounds, I’ve been finding a lot of solace lately in practicing mindfulness and yoga. Sometimes my work, such as this piece, is an attempt to manifest what I want for myself.

In what ways does the theme of Integrity play out in your life?

There’s definitely so much merit and solace in setting intentions for what you want to get out of your life and your experiences. I tend to get wrapped up in my responsibilities and think in terms of what I have to do next, without really thinking about what my goals for myself actually are. I find that when I stop to think what I want for myself, whether it be personally or professionally, I have a much clearer state of mind.

At the moment, what is your favorite…

Color: Yellow

Food: Thai

Song: Habit - Still Woozy

Quote: “Our life is shaped by our mind, for we become what we think” - Buddha

-Thank you for sharing your talent and time with us, Emily!