Life & Work with Emma Cotter of NYC/LA

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Cotter.

Hi Emma, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in Orange County where my love for the arts began. I was always taking community art classes, visiting museums, and filling my schedule with anything creative.
I eventually made my way to New York to study Dramatic Writing at NYU Tisch School of the Arts. I interned for major production companies, wrote coverage, suggested actors, and spent every free moment inside museums. I took classes like ‘Design for the Stage’ and ‘Curating Like a Gallerist,’ and spent a semester in London studying playwriting and exploring Europe’s art and architecture every weekend.
After graduating during Covid, my mentor Kristin Fine offered me a position at her interior design business. I had no formal training, but I had an innate self-starter drive and an absolute love for the homes she created. Over the last four years I’ve helped with residential projects in Connecticut and The Hamptons, learning everything from running a retail showroom to sourcing vintage globally, overseeing installations, generating floor plans, creating visual presentations, and managing the many moving parts of high-end design.
Alongside this, I make collage art. I collect magazines and art books, cut out what I’m drawn to, and build new work from those pieces. I do it every day (kinda), which inspired the name everydaykinda. My life naturally blends home and storytelling through art: making art, finding art, framing art, installing art. I love homes as reflections of the people who live in them, and I love the narrative behind each object.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Covid was a difficult period for many, myself included. I spent the end of college online, which was challenging since so many of my classes revolved around performing or collaborating. I graduated and entered the workforce during a confusing and isolating time. However, I spent so much time making art and this is actually where everydaykinda really kicked into gear.
My life has been smooth in terms of always knowing what I loved, but sometimes I was ‘too serious,’ focused on this creative career path. The struggle was finding balance between real life and what I love. I would often prioritize creating or working, and I tend to isolate myself as I absorb into projects. Over time, I’ve released many of my workaholic habits and cultivated a sense of creation out of love, art for art’s sake. I’m proud of my accomplishments, and I’m also proud of accepting that rest and play are part of the process.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m an artist and designer. I specialize in handmade collages, which are what I’m known for. My work is whimsical, with a sense of humor and playful use of scale. I like to combine unexpected references, like runway fashion on architectural photography.
What sets me apart is the depth of my experience: creating (carefully cutting elements sometimes only centimeters wide), appreciating (years of travel and museum study), and installing (working with clients’ art collections in their homes). I combine technical expertise with a strong curatorial eye.
I’m most proud of the homes I’ve completed – and that some of them even include original artwork by me.

If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
As a child, I was exuberant, always dancing, dressing up, and putting on shows. I attended summer camps at Orange County School of the Arts for acting and Chapman University for producing.
In high school, I carefully arranged my schedule to include video, journalism, and art classes, prioritizing creative exploration. I spent hours filming and editing projects for fun or assignments. The summer going into seventh grade, I even met weekly at a local Starbucks to write a feature film script with a professional- a gift my mom won at a silent auction.
In 2017, I committed my New Year’s resolution to journaling every day, which I have kept up, amassing a bookshelf full of journals. I’ve always loved dance and movement, and I spend a lot of time now practicing yoga at Jivamukti and taking contemporary classes at Alvin Ailey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.everydaykinda.com
• Instagram: www.emma-leslie.com
• Facebook: @everydaykinda (pinterest and instagram)
• Twitter: @emmaleslieco (pinterest and instagram)

Image Credits
everydaykinda