About Me

 
Art is a God-given gift that I am forever thankful for. I grew up watching cartoons and I’ve been drawing my whole life; whether it’s a simple picture or creating cut-outs of imaginary friends, or making paper dolls to complete your toy set and make stories out of them. Like any other kid, I had an overactive imagination (which was socially troublesome, but soon turned into something I utilized). And of course like most children, I would wake up every Saturday morning watching cartoons and anime(Sonic X especially since I’m a die-hard Sonic the Hedgehog fan) and spend the summer or any other break from school watching cartoons and playing video games. What went from ‘Ooh colors and silly movements on the screen!’ has grown into appreciation and love for the stories, characters, and visuals no matter the time period.

       I wanted to be a zoologist or zookeeper at first because of my love for animals and wanted to work with them ( I would also read about them and draw them). Let’s just say that taking science courses in school is not a fitting passion especially after I got a ‘C’ in Junior year chemistry. So when Senior year rolled by, and I was working on my Senior Career Project, I had a sudden realization that I should stick to what I know and love; art, drawing, creating. I have taken multiple art courses without realizing that it’s a career field meant for me. Since then, I’ve aspired to wanting to pursue visual storytelling, be it in graphic novel form or in animation.  However living in Kansas, the heart of the midwest, where there’s bar to none when it comes to anything in the arts, has been unfathomably difficult trying to break into anything . Doesn’t help that my state college and university doesn’t provide the curriculum and mentorship that I needed when it comes to animation; followed by a series of rejection emails from internships at major studios, working multiple part-time jobs for stability, and to top it off, surviving the pandemic.

       I’ve always found escapism through reading books, watching animated series/films, and drawing whatever was on my mind. Stories and characters are what always drew me in. I’ll start off with Tim Burton, who is one of my favorite artists, producers, and directors. I fell in love with and became inspired by his craft, imagery and storytelling. What I love about his films is the strange, gothic, and uncanny imagery, background, and characters. Sure to most people, his work is scary and bizarre, but there's always a child-like wonder and heartwarming essence to them. I love the stories that carry the themes of societal ignorance, fear, and snobbish attitudes towards misfitted and outcasted individuals different from them. Films such as Edward Scissorhands, Frankenweenie, Beetlejuice, and Corpse Bride display those themes well.  The Nightmare Before Christmas  is one of my favorite beloved films, and it has a theme about identity and appreciating who you are. The main character, Jack Skellington, felt that being the Pumpkin King was tiresome and he wanted to try to be something that he wasn’t. He wanted to be Santa Clause, but in the end he realized that the role/identity is not as fitting as he thought. In the end, he embraces who he is and his people love him for who he is. I have a connection with Tim Burton’s story and his films because I ,too, have felt like an outcast, and there were times where I wished I wasn't so different.

    You would think that me getting good grades, stay-out-of-trouble, a bookworm and introvert is the least problematic. However, those too can have downsides. At least I take comfort in knowing some good traits about myself; passionate, creative, imaginative, and quiet (which can be ‘scary’ to some people, I don’t understand why).  Therefore,I’d rather be content in being satisfyingly eccentric than depressingly normal.

      Regarding my artworks, they've  kept me going no matter the situations around me, but I want to create something and share with others, so that they too can be validated, understood, and related to. Be it storyboarding, character design, or animation someday, I want to make something out it. Day after day,  I often find myself on the verge of giving up on my aspirations, but for some odd reason, I refuse to give up. Quite frankly, I don't know if it's stubbornness or resilience, but whatever it is, I refuse to let my aspirations go to waste. I will keep making art, create visual stories, and design interesting characters because they bring me the joy and relief that I want to share with others. It's sad how we put thought, blood, sweat, and tears into our work, share them, only to be overlooked and dismissed by anyone that won't dare to try anything different. I'm no stranger to rejection, which is why I vow that I will keep doing what I love irregardless.