Meet Emily Bourassa of Hermosa Beach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Bourassa

Hi Emily, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’m sitting in my watercolor class, and my professor is explaining the rules of watercolor. Maybe you’re familiar? No using white. You only want the white of the paper to show through. No using black, it’s best to mix a few colors together to get a dark neutral. No layering light over dark, please use natural fiber brushes, if you make a mistake, just start a new painting, and whatever you do, don’t overwork your piece.
I had questions and immediately felt a challenge- why are these the rules, and what would happen if I didn’t follow them? I was the kid who my mom warned me about the stove being hot, and obviously, I had to find out for myself.
But as I started investigating these rules, they began to feel silly, and like maybe they made sense in the 1800s and some men created them based on supplies that are inferior to the ones we have today.
Everytime I heard these rules, I thought, well, I guess I’m a watercolor rebel? I’m sure I’m not the only person to use watercolor this way, by breaking all the rules, but sometimes it feels like a radical act!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think a lot of artists relate, the worst part is dealing with yourself. Self doubt and self criticism are the enemy within and I’ll let you know if I overcome those things. For now, I keep myself learning, and reflecting, and making. And an audiobook to drown out the bad thoughts helps too.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My focus right now, besides my family, is competing my MFA in Illustration. It’s a 2+ year program, and I’m about halfway through. I knew it would be rigorous and life changing, and it is exactly that. Outside of that I am happily freelancing- wedding invitations, content creation, paper goods & art prints for my website. My dream project would be to illustrate a cookbook, because I find myself in the kitchen often.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I would love to connect on social media! I post often about what I’m up to, or what I’ve learned, and I test out a lot of different materials and create tutorials.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilybourassastudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilybourassastudio/
• Facebook: https://www.instagram.com/emilybourassastudio/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emilybourassastudio/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@emilybourassastudio https://bsky.app/profile/emilybourassa.bsky.social

Image Credits
Molly Lowe-White