We at Gothic Angel love to explore the goth community and to meet like-minded people. We were therefore very happy to come across Emily Buresh, an American blogger and creative who was kind enough to write something for us. You can check out her site here.
My name is Emily Buresh and I am more than what you see. I identify myself as a singer, artist, dancer, designer, writer, entrepreneur, but I am also vision impaired. My style is Gothic/Punk/Rocker and has been this way my entire life. My art reflects who I am.
I was a creative soul from an early age. I would spend hours dancing and singing in my crib. When I was three, I went from drawing stick figures to full scenes with backgrounds and subjects within months. At five, I started formal dance training along with practicing singing and my art. I would design jewelry in my spare time or find a new medium to learn like bead weaving or braiding.
I love learning new mediums in the arts. Most of my skills are self taught with some formal training. I went to the University of Vermont and received my Bachelor’s of Arts and Sciences in Studio Art and Art History. I’ve taken additional classes in graphic design, business, song writing, voice, dance, and website design. Art and music are my passion, my Raison d’être (reason for existence).
Earrings: Argentium Sterling Silver wire and Swarovski Crystals
I’ve also been intrigued with the darker side of life. I am a proud Christian, but death and the fantasy realm have always fascinated me. My childhood was influenced by watching movies like “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe”, “Labyrinth”, and “Beetlejuice”; reading enthralling stories from Edgar Allen Poe; and embracing my own mortality.
Since birth, I was diagnosed with optic nerve gliomas with optic nerve atrophy which left me legally blind. To make things simple, I have five small growths under my brain that are benign which stunted the growth of the nerves that connect my eyes to my brain. I was told at an early age that this condition could worsen leaving me blind or prove fatal. Each day I wake up with my sight, I feel truly blessed.
Having to deal with such a condition left me questioning life. Is death something to be feared or embraced? Could there be things beyond what one can see with their own eyes? Are there possibilities beyond what we consider to be “normal”?
As I began my journey exploring these questions, I also found my passion for Gothic style. I knew life was short and that I had to express my inner creativity whenever possible. It might have been me being rebellious or fighting authority or finding who it is I was meant to be. Regardless, I started wearing black, dyeing my hair unnatural shades and got a few piercings. I was just being me, but was labeled by others as the “Goth chick”.
Though I dislike labels, having them seems to help others identify with who I am so I began to study what it means to be Gothic. The more I learned about Gothic culture, the more I could relate to the music, books, and lifestyle.
Over the years, I’ve explored my style with my art. For eight years, I was the owner and designer for a Gothic shop called The Other Scene. I created jewelry, hair falls, Cyberlox, and hair accessories. I studied Gothic fashion closely and talked to some awesome people asking them what they wanted to see more of like lace necklaces or wire wrapped crystals. Through much consideration, I found that my shop wasn’t the right direction for me.
After closing the doors on The Other Scene, I’ve focused on my love of singing and painting. Being vision impaired has been challenging for my passion in the arts, but it has never stopped me from expressing my creativity.
We are given this one life to live. Whether you have a disability or are covered in tattoos or expressing your style by wearing all black, be yourself! Do not let conformity dictate your direction in life so long as you’re not hurting yourself or anyone else. Spread your creativity whenever possible and never let a chance to smile at life pass you by. You never know who you may inspire.
If you’d like to learn more about what I do, please check out my site www.emilyburesh.com.
If I’ve inspired you or you have a story about someone who’s inspired you to be a creative soul, leave a comment below.
Until next time beautiful, be blessed and spread the creativity!!
If you fancy writing for Gothic Angel we’d love to hear from you, so get in touch and share your story.
