We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Isabelle Chia a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Isabelle, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.

Towards the end of 2021, I was reflecting on the year and thinking about my goals for the upcoming one. As I pondered the question “Where do I see myself in 10 years?” it struck me that I’ve always enjoyed
creating things with my hands, but why don’t I create things from hand anymore? I felt a strong desire
for more, realizing there’s so much beyond what I can do with my laptop and tech tools like Adobe.

So, in 2022, I took a leap of faith and decided to pursue my passion as an artist professionally. At the same
time, I also start working part-time as a moss installation artist at Ohsummossum in Malaysia to honne my
art and craft skills. It’s been an exciting journey since then!

Isabelle, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

So, I’ve been doing arts and crafts since I was a kid, even though I never had any formal training in fine art. While abstract art is my main practice, but I also dabble in pottery, photography, plants, flower crafting/installations, and even a bit of acting.

What makes me different? Well, I don’t stick to just one medium or one solution. I’m all about exploring different ways to express myself in my work.

I am also always up to trying new things and stepping out of my comfort zone. My brand, isa_bybelle, is all about that.
The name came from the first three letters of my name, Isabelle. When you separate them, it’s “is-a,” and that’s intentional. It
could be “is a vase,” “is a painting,” “is a gift”, or “is a star”… you name it! I don’t want to limit myself to just one thing. There’s so
much more I want to explore, and I hope you’ll stick around to see what I come up with next!

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The best part of being an artist or creative is that I get to express myself freely. It’s like having the freedom to show the world who I am through my art.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Towards the end of 2021, things were a bit tough. I was juggling multiple part-time jobs, doing some freelancing as a graphic designer. Pandemic times made everything a bit more challenging for everyone.

My graphic design gig wasn’t going as well as I hoped. I had some clients, but not enough to sustain the life that I want.
Meanwhile, I was also working part-time at a local wedding gown shop. In the midst of all this, I decided to submit my work
to a couple of art exhibitions, and guess what? I got into two of them! I was very surprised but now that I thought about it,
it’s like another door open up to me.

And here’s the twist: it got me thinking. Is graphic design really my thing? I mean, I love it, but when I looked ahead, I wondered if I could see myself doing it professionally for the next few years. The rules and regulations in design started feeling a bit too restrictive for me. I just wanted to express myself freely without any limits.

So, at the end of 2021, during my usual reflection time, I asked myself a big question: “Can I really see myself being a professional graphic designer in the future?” Honestly, I didn’t think so. That’s when I realized I needed to make some changes to make sure I could do what I enjoy and love the most for the rest of my life.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @bellexsc22 @isa_bybelle

Image Credits
@itsvonnie.b @__cindyxx @bellexsc22