Life & Work with Erianna Gowdy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erianna Gowdy.

Hi Erianna, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
My story? It’s pretty transparent actually; a little girl with a dream. A Dream that never seemed unattainable. A Dream that was mine, and nobody else’s. A dream that soon became, dream(S). Nowadays, in our generation, a lot of people feel that they have to place themselves in a specific category in order to truly succeed. You have your singers, your dancers, your artist, your actors, your athletes, and the list goes on. And whatever one thing they feel they’re best at, that’s the box they place themselves in. And thats okay. But, what happens when that one thing you thought was the only thing that made you who you were, becomes more? Growing up, I believed in the things that I had yet to achieve. At the age of five, I started playing basketball. That was who I was. But As I got older, I began to fall in love with Art too; all things art. Drawing, writing, music, designing, you name it. When I got to High school (Westchester High), I truly began to grow into a better player, but I also began to take art a little more seriously. However, there was still only one thing I felt was my ticket to greater.

Upon my high school graduation, I was excited to begin my college career playing juco basketball at West LA College. I knew that I was on the right path, but was it MY right path? Or was it the only path I thought was right? The answer to that question came about my sophomore year of college. I was already a month into my fall semester, when one day at practice, I got injured. This injury definitely put a roadblock in my “right” path. My season was over, and everything for me began to change. Over time, my faith was tested in a major way. But that was only God’s way of trying to get me to listen to him. I had spent so much of my life dreaming about becoming one thing, it took me falling, just to hear him say “you are more than what you’re limiting yourself to being”. And that was the true beginning of who I was becoming. I graduated from West LA in 2019. That year, I came up with my brand entitled “EG3 Designz”. That was the moment I truly began to blossom. Eg3 Designz is an art business that customizes shoes, designs freehand sketches for tattoos, creates graphic designs such as logos and flyers, and will soon be selling clothing/apparel as well. Developing my brand was only the beginning. More opportunities began to present themselves.

In 2020, I was fortunate enough to be apart of Alicia Keys “Underdog video”, as well as perform with her at the Grammy’s. These opportunity’s wouldn’t have come about if I didn’t go through what I went through. Today, I am still that little girl with dreams. There is so much that I want to accomplish, and I am honestly just getting started. But in order to have gotten to where I am today, I had to learn that it is okay to be more! Currently, my business has continued to grow! I am excited for what’s to come in the future. To anyone reading, remember this; to dream is to believe that you are MORE. Never limiting yourself to one dream is the key to truly succeeding in life. There’s not just one ticket to greater. And that one thing that you may think is the only thing that makes you who you are, is just the beginning of ALL that you were created to be. I am Me. I created my own category. And that’s my story.

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?
It has never been a smooth road. Nothing in life, especially the things you want out of life, comes easy. Fear has always been a factor when it came to accomplishing my goals. The fear of not being enough. The fear of not being good enough. The fear of, what if someone doesn’t like this? The “what if” has always been a struggle for me, along with the fear of it all.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am an Artist. I specialize in shoe customization, drawing, and graphic design. I’m most proud of the business that I created. It is my own. The fact I was able to create something beautiful out of a dark situation will always be my most proudest accomplishment. My art is my voice. People usually come to me with their ideas, and what sets me apart is being able to highlight their ideas as well as putting my own creativity and spin on what they want. I feel that my knack for creativity truly sets me apart. The art industry is a big one. So, knowing who you are and what you bring to the table to very important. I know what I have and that’s what makes me special. That’s what makes me, ME.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I LOVE our city! We breed champions. We bread creatives. We have so much talent in our city it’s amazing. The amount of opportunity here is none like anywhere else. However, our city has one of the largest populations in the state. Which, unfortunately breeds a lot of homelessness. That’s the one thing that I probably dislike the most. I can be amazed at the amount of opportunity here in LA. But there still thousands of people who are struggling to find that one chance to get on their feet. Everyday, while walking or driving, you see someone laying on the ground, someone collecting bottles for some spare change, or holding signs hoping that someone will lend anything to help their families. It’s sad to see it everyday and it’s for sure the worst part about our city.

Pricing:

• Custom shoes begin at $150. Pricing rises based on design
• Tattoo sketches begin at $90. Pricing rises based on design
• Logos/Flyers begin at $100. Pricing rises based on design

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eg3_designz/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/__eriiiiiiii
• Other: https://www.instagram.com/eri.g__/