Meet Alexa Wright Nishimura

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alexa Wright Nishimura a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alexa, thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?
Whether I’m creating a branding system for a client, building a table for my home, or recording music for a video, fulfilling a purpose motivates me. The purpose may be more rooted in function or more abstract, like expressing feelings through sound—or a blend of both!

Nature, music, art, culture, and handicrafts bring endless inspiration. Loving the process of creation makes it a feast for the senses, from enjoying the sounds of scissors to setting up components in Figma. Mesmerizing materials like vibrant silk brocade and iridescent glass fill me with excitement to create.

Being creative feels like following a firefly through a field at night. If I give it my undivided attention, it takes me down a path of discovery. As it illuminates the path, I see which dots are revealed, connect them, and express the vision. I’m grateful to revolve my life around this vital dance and to have clients and loved ones that value it. Without it, I’d be standing still in the dark.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC with a BFA in fashion design, I took a turn and started ALEXA WRIGHT, Inc. to help brands distill their unique essence into eye-catching visual experiences across branding, design, content, and campaigns. Now based in Los Angeles, my client work currently revolves around art direction/creative direction, with a focus on brand identities, design, and visuals across digital and print.

Independent multi-disciplinary art and design projects are also a priority to spread my wings creatively. I have a YouTube channel where I share a love for the creative process behind making furniture, home objects, clothing, and beyond. Self-producing these videos, from directing to editing, is the best way I’ve found to weave together my many loves into a cohesive vision. It has also led me to create and release original music to express the emotional side beyond the technical.

My latest video is called ALWAYS, NOW, FOREVER and showcases the process behind creating my Vietnamese áo dài-inspired bridal look.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1. Stay curious: Embrace the mindset of a lifelong learner, and you’ll never find yourself bored. I’m grateful my parents instilled this in me, and they continue to embody it to this day. For instance, my mom has been immersed in studying Korean as part of her ongoing exploration of languages. I love this quality because it creates a true spark in the eyes and prevents the spirit from becoming jaded and complacent.

One way to start is by delving beneath the surface of the things that excite you. Which pantry staples are needed to try cooking your favorite Thai noodles at home? What lighting techniques were used to create the mood and drama from your favorite music video? Or hey, research the things that fill you with rage. Seek to understand.

2. Cultivate hands-on practice: Alongside staying curious and absorbing outside knowledge, I always want to balance that exploration with hands-on practice. While visualization and reflection are essential, some questions can only be answered through the process. Rather than theorizing about your photography style, why not take out your camera and see what perspective emerges? Instead of imagining what your music style should sound like, why not pick up an instrument and see what unfolds? Action brings unique discoveries, the reward for your commitment to see ideas through. Experiment, experience, express. The outcome will be more personal and unique than you would have imagined.

3. Embrace a layered lens: I once compartmentalized different creative disciplines. However, with practice, I discovered their interconnectedness through universal concepts. For instance, the musical concepts of treble, middle, and bass notes find parallels in scent design. Rhythm extends beyond music to influence visuals, storytelling, and editing. It became clear that knowledge in one area could enhance another, like facets converging through a single lens—a kaleidoscope. Pursuing a new interest wasn’t a detour but a contribution to a more vibrant perspective. This is the essence of art. I think of it in terms of multiplication over division, or concentration over dilution. Your superpowers lie in your unique and multi-faceted vision!

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?
I believe in taking a balanced approach, where I nurture existing strengths to keep them relevant in changing times, while also investing effort in complementary skills. For instance, dedicating time to video editing for personal projects has enhanced my skills as an art director for clients, allowing me to articulate details such as pacing, motion graphics, color, and music choices more fluently. A more singular and specialized path may work for others, but this strategy lets me maintain a solid foundation while staying adaptable and continuously learning. Stepping into the unfamiliar is more manageable when you have one foot grounded in the familiar.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Images and designs by ALEXA WRIGHT

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