ABOUT EM NYKIEL
(they/she)
Hello there! I am a queer designer, fabricator, and art director who is eager to help create immersive worlds and build memorable props and miniatures. I have a BFA in Film & Television from Columbia College Chicago and am based in the Chicago area. I have a deep love for whimsy and magic and I try to bring a little bit of that to every project I work on.
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Joy and whimsy are at the heart of everything I do. In whatever form I can, I love to help create worlds others can get lost in. As a kid, I found so much comfort in the worlds I saw on screens, in books, or in miniature form, and I strive to give others the same kind of comfort in the worlds I help create. I love to spread the idea that especially in creative mediums, there is so much power in being unapologetically you. I am a huge lover of cartoons and animation, as well as puppets and the natural world. I gain much of my inspiration from Alex Hirsch, Nick Park, Jim Henson, and the entire team at Laika Studios.