Hi! My name is Emmalee.
I am a Canadian Illustrator and Graphic Designer based in Seattle, WA. My work is highly conceptual and my creative process is often grounded in thematic research relating to history, art, language, and culture. I most enjoy working on projects where I can explore concepts through illustration and typography, finding nuances in themes that create levels of depth. Abstract exploration of ideas and pushing the boundaries of creative inquiry is what drives me to create!
My roots in the creative world started off in dance from a young age and in high school I found my love of art. The work in my AP Art portfolio consisted of abstract paintings on wood panels, a decent leap from where I am today in my creative practice.
When I am not designing or illustrating, you can often find me playing video games, traveling, exploring natural landscapes, and spending time with my cats and partner.
photo by hellcat.photography
Qualifications
BFA, Illustration
Cornish College of the Arts
I strive to produce work that challenges the audience to look beyond the visual information and forces critical thought and interpretation about the subject matter. It is a point of focus in my work to make people think more deeply about not only the work itself but what it means on a grander scale.
It is critical to me that my work reflects not only my own views but the cultural context in which the work is set. Before drafting any sort of illustrative work for a project, I make a point of researching the subject matter that I am dealing with as it is important to me that I have a comprehensive understanding of the work that I myself am putting out into the world. It is through this research that I often am able to include imagery and ideas that go beyond a superficial understanding of the visual information as it may be interpreted upon first glance.
Part of my creative philosophy is that it is important for me to be a well-rounded creator. As the world of art and design becomes increasingly digital, I make it a point in my practice to remember my analog roots in art. As a result, I often use a combination of analog and digital tools when working on a project to find the correct balance between the cleanliness of digital programs and the personal touch of analog work. Beyond this, I am always eager to explore new techniques that can elevate my work and its impact even further.
Creative Process
Contact
Adobe Illustrator
Adobe InDesign
Procreate
Figma
Book Arts
Typographic Design
Packaging Design
Editorial Illustration
Large-Scale Illustration
Scientific Illustration
Skills
Cornish College of the Arts Design BFA Exhibition | Spring 2025
Winter’s Phoenix | December 2024 - January 2025
Limbo | April 2024
Gallery Features
Lato is used as the body copy for this website. It was designed by Lucasz Dziedzic in 2010. The typeface was designed to be “transparent” as body copy but reveals unique features when viewed at a larger scale. Lato is also the Polish word for “summer.”
Bely is used for headings for this website. It was designed by Roxane Gataud in 2016 and is “a classy throwback text font family with a fearless and venturesome display” (from fonts.adobe.com). It features triangular shapes in the top half of the letterforms with sturdier, rectangular bases.