I’ve tried blogging before, ever since middle school (or was it earlier?). Xanga, Livejournal, Tumblr, WordPress, and now here. It’s always exciting to start something until you just simply lose interest and forget about it. I loved documenting my life living in Japan during my time on the JET Programme on Tumblr and WordPress. After moving back to the US in 2015, I gradually stopped because I thought my life wasn’t as interesting anymore. Another thing I had against blogs is the disconnect between online vs. offline representations of our selves and the struggle of finding the balance between keeping things personal but also professional and, most importantly, authentic to who I am.
Well, hello again! I’d like to use this space to document my art and design and the progress I’ve made over the years, and hope to continue making now and in the future.
I have a background story that I think a lot of Asian-Americans with immigrant parents can relate to. I’ve had an interest in arts and crafts since childhood, which was often shut down by my parents who wanted me to follow a career path that they deemed more financially successful, such as a doctor, lawyer, accountant, etc. They told me art could be my hobby but never a career (unless I wanted to be poor and maybe even homeless).
This had a huge impact on my confidence, which hindered me from exploring my full artistic potential in my teens and early 20s. I’m almost 30 and I still feel “behind” on my artistic progress and often think about where I could be now if I had grown up differently with more support, encouragement, practice, and access.
I have a lot of catching up to do when learning about new art techniques and even business. I recently spent some time watching YouTube videos by an 18-year-old teaching me how to improve my Etsy shop. Years ago I would have felt bitter from the constant comparing of myself to younger and more talented artists. I’m glad to have matured and now admire these younger artists for sharing their knowledge and helping me on my artistic journey.
I officially started working as a Graphic Designer in 2015 and you can view all the work I’ve done since then on the left side menu bar. Although I have a degree in Visual Arts from UCSD, a lot of what I learned was about conceptual art and the fine art world that I feel like I have no place in. All the practical skills I use today, especially with graphic design, has been self taught through general experimentation and the wide range of tutorials and online classes available online. Five years later and with a full-fledged career in design, I’m still learning new tips and tricks in my design and drawing programs everyday.