Staff Creatives: Misa Yamamoto
Creativity runs high among College of Fine Arts staff members, both in their day jobs in the college supporting our research and educational mission and in their personal lives. The college has an unusually high number of practicing artists, musicians and performers — many of them alumni — on our teams.
Misa Yamamoto is a senior graphic designer in the Dean’s Office.
How many years have you worked in the College of Fine Arts?
I have been working in the college for 14 years, and I will hit 15 years in November.
Describe your creative practice.
I am part of an art collective called Essentials Creative. We are four people in the group, and most of us live in Texas but one of us is based in the U.K. We specialize in site-specific art installations that incorporate videography, photography and graphic design, often collaborating with other creative professionals depending on the project's needs. Our most recent exhibition at the Chicago Botanic Garden featured 35 tapestries representing seven plants through marginalized cultural stories and scientific narratives. The installation explored the intersection of Indigenous and multicultural plants knowledge and science through these botanical subjects. Currently, we are working on the similar idea but with Texas native plant tapestries.
How did you get started in your creative practice?
My background is in communication design, and I always wanted to be a graphic designer, but once I actually became one, I realized I wanted to explore my own creative voice instead of just working on other people's ideas or needs. Being part of Essentials Creative has been a great facet of my professional life because it allows me to collaborate with people from other disciplines, experiment with new approaches and express myself more freely without worries about client expectations or business constraints.
What does a typical day look like when you’re balancing both your work and creative passions?
I'm a mom to a 2-year-old. I typically start working on personal projects after putting her to bed. Some days are challenging, but this has made me much more efficient with my limited time. On weekends, our collective holds online meetings to discuss current projects. Balancing work, motherhood and creative practice isn't always easy, but I've found that motherhood has brought a new perspective and discipline to my life, making me truly appreciate the time I get for my creative practice.
Any advice for students as they think about their professional pathways?
Build a portfolio that reflects the kind of work you want to do in the future. If you don’t have client projects yet, create self-initiated work — proposals, mockups or concepts — that showcase your skills and creative vision. These pieces can also be valuable for open calls or grant applications. Also rejection is a common part of the process, so don’t be discouraged, and keep applying for different opportunities.
How do you define success as an artist? How has that definition evolved over time?
To me, success is about sustainability. Being able to maintain your creative practice while working on projects that genuinely excite you, collaborating with people who you enjoy and building a community around your work — that seems like a successful artist in my eyes. My dad always says that anyone who keeps creating throughout their life will find success — and I believe that.