I have about fifteen. The Complete Stories by Clarice Lispector… Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins… Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, which I reread every ten years.
What charity or cause are you passionate about?
Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team… I also donated my kidney in August 2023, so I’m a big fan of Donate Life.
What’s the first thing you do when you get home after a long day at work?
Feed everybody… Dog, cat, chickens, my daughter, and my husband. Probably in that order of hunger urgency.
What vacation spot is on your bucket list?
Antarctica.
If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?
A walrus. They have this mysterious life underwater that we don’t know much about. They love to hang out on the beach with their friends and get sunburned; they love to eat fresh seafood… I think we would get along great.
I have about fifteen. The Complete Stories by Clarice Lispector… Another Roadside Attraction by Tom Robbins… Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace, which I reread every ten years.
What charity or cause are you passionate about?
Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team… I also donated my kidney in August 2023, so I’m a big fan of Donate Life.
What’s the first thing you do when you get home after a long day at work?
Feed everybody… Dog, cat, chickens, my daughter, and my husband. Probably in that order of hunger urgency.
What vacation spot is on your bucket list?
Antarctica.
If you could domesticate a wild animal, what animal would it be?
A walrus. They have this mysterious life underwater that we don’t know much about. They love to hang out on the beach with their friends and get sunburned; they love to eat fresh seafood… I think we would get along great.
Off the Cuff
he owner and “dream executive” of Emily Longbrake Art & Design flits among thirty different hobbies. One moment, she might be gardening; the next, planning a scuba diving trip. She also turned one hobby into a job.
“Sometimes I get to color or draw all day,” like a little kid’s fondest wish, Emily Longbrake says.
While growing up in Alaska, “If somebody wanted a poster for school, I would be the one making it,” she recalls. Longbrake then worked at a farm, a lighthouse, a bookstore, a gym, and other places, “all of which I ruled out as good jobs for me.”
Because her father was self-employed, she says, “He planted the seed that I could run my own business one day.”
A generalist in terms of style, Longbrake adapts to her clients’ needs. “I’m doing something different every day,” she says. Often, she helps small businesses establish their graphic identity, translating between the client’s work and what the world sees. She adds, “It’s fun to be that translator.”
More of Longbrake’s works are on exhibit at the International Gallery of Contemporary Art and the Tiny Gallery, both in Downtown Anchorage.
Emily Longbrake: Art gets to be both my job and my fun activity. I do a lot of volunteering and try to get outside with my family.
AB: Is there a skill you’re currently developing or have always wanted to learn?
Longbrake: I’m learning Spanish right now. And learning to scuba dive; I’m like a baby scuba diver.
AB: What’s the most daring thing you’ve ever done?
Longbrake: Donating my kidney to a stranger, who I hope is doing very well. Also becoming a mom through adoption.
AB: What are you superstitious about?
Longbrake: If I cannot stop thinking about something, I know it must be important.
AB: What supernatural experiences have you had?
Longbrake: I got to swim in the ocean in a phosphorescent algae bloom. I cannot explain how magical and wonderful that was. It definitely felt like being on another planet.
AB: What’s your favorite local restaurant?
Longbrake: Naruto ramen.
AB: Dead or alive, who would you like to see perform live in concert?
Longbrake: James Brown.
AB: What’s your greatest extravagance?
Longbrake: Being able to be self-employed as an artist feels like a huge privilege.
AB: What’s your best attribute and worst attribute?
Longbrake: I get really into things. That can be a blessing and a curse, depending on what I choose to be into at the time. Most of the time, it’s allowed me to work really hard, but sometimes I get distracted.
