Emerson Smith was born and raised in Southbury Connecticut, leading a sheltered childhood with no shortage of Annie’s macaroni and cheese, Miyazaki films, and drawings of ponies. Frequent trips with her father to explore New York City planted an urban seed in her head; one that would later blossom into an intense yearning for the gritty and glamorous. After Graduating from UMass Amherst in May of 2015, Emerson relocated to New Haven, Connecticut. She is still chasing after her artistic dreams, and hopes to some day take on a job that combines her passion for illustration and writing in one neat (or maybe not so neat) package. She draws from a wide variety of influences in her written and artistic works; Alex Pardee, Toulouse Lautrec, Egon Schiele, street fashion, sexuality, body art, horror films, glitter, goodwill, gender politics, underground rap, Ellen Von Unwerth, graffiti, illicit drug use (not hers!), and dirty chai lattes, to name just a few. She has appeared in local shows, and sells her creations when she can. Serious inquiries about commissioned work be it written or painted are always welcome.