An Interview With Emi Tamaru
Interview by Daniel Lim
ABC: Please introduce yourself to the community
ET: I’m Emi/Emily/Emiri/Emyli/SPiLLeD MiLK. Born and raised in Yokohama, Japan, I am currently attending Otis College of Art and Design as a Graphic Design major.
ABC: What was the worst critique/review/feedback you were ever given and how did it make you feel?
ET: When I was told my figures were too “fat”, as well as my style being too “avant-garde” during my fashion illustration classes. I wasn’t too butt-hurt about my instructor giving me pointers on my style, but the “too fat” thing got to me. I wanted my work to make girls feel pretty, or inspire them to have fun with fashion. I didn’t want one of those people that pressured girls to get skinny or have perfect-model-bodies through my work.
ABC: How did that experience change or not change the way you feel/felt about your art?
ET: Basically it led to me flipping my middle finger at the fashion industry, and leaving it behind. For a while, it made me unsure and discouraged about my work, but my passion towards art and design did not allow me to kill my true love.
ABC: How was it like growing up in Japan as an international student?
ET: My first few years were extremely discomforting. Some people have an idea that Japan is full of weird crazy stuff and they’re open-minded about a lot of stuff, but that really isn’t the case. A lot of Japanese people are actually quite conservative and close-minded, even from an early age. Being multi-ethnic led me to be a frequent target of bullying when I was a child, simply because I looked “different” from the rest of the other children. As a result, my parents decided to enroll me into an International school, where such problems wouldn’tt happen. As much as I love and respect my heritage and culture, growing up in Japan was not the easiest thing for me in my younger years.
ABC: How was the transition from Japan to California?
ET: Absolutely weird. I had visited California a couple times before moving here, but living here was a completely different question. People’s attitudes are completely different. The public transportation is a mess. The food is too greasy. I spent the first 3 months crying in bed at night from being home sick. Now, I’ve been blessed with amazing friends and transitioned a little better.
ABC: Why did you transfer from fashion to graphic design?
ET: One of my closest friends inspired me to do this, actually. Seeing his work made me notice that graphic design was what I really wanted to do. I also loved the way conceptual and individual thinking was promoted in the department- something that wasn’t very prominent in fashion design. I still love fashion, but I feel more at home in the graphic design department.
ABC: What is EmiRant and where did this come from?
ET: EmiRant is a journal I keep of random things that happen in my life. I’ve been keeping journals from a young age, and EmiRant is just another edition of it. My teacher, Daniel Lim (whoohoo!) encouraged me to keep it on a daily basis, and ta-da!
ABC: Where do you see yourself in the next 5 years?
ET: Ideally, I will be working for M/M Paris and be living in Paris as an Art Director in a fancy little apartment. Or be Erik Spiekermann’s Asian sidekick. …The worst case scenario will be me back in my parent’s house in Japan being a cat lady and crocheting scarves all day.
ABC: Do you feel like your education is going in the direction that will help your vision as an artist?
ET: Absolutely. Although I had my doubts when I was in the Fashion Design department, I’ve learned a lot from that department too. Since I’m a semester behind as a Graphic Design major, I’m planning to haul ass and catch up as much as I can.
ABC: What would you like to share with the ABC community.
ET: Love, warmth, peanut butter, hot tea and all those lovely things. I look forward to seeing all of your amazing work!
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