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

Nina, appreciate you joining us today. Are you happier as a creative? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job? Can you talk to us about how you think through these emotions?

On the financial side – definitely! Being self-employed definitely has a lot more work in to be able to keep a roof over my head, and the thought of being financially stable is probably the first thing that comes to mind when contemplating taking a regular job.

However, I really cannot trade the happiness I get to be able to create art at my own time and pace. Even if I have to work a little harder, it really is worth it to me. It took me a while to get here though. I used to be a lot more critical of my work and would constantly compare myself to other creatives in the community. After reflecting, I was reminded that the joy of creating art for myself–not for others–is what brings me true happiness.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hello! I’m Nina Nguyen and I’m an illustrator from the Pacific Northwest specializing in prints, stickers, and other small goods. I am self-taught in illustration, however also I studied Visual Communication design which has also led me to a career as a graphic designer on the side.

My art style and craft is inspired by my love of food, wordplay, and nostalgia. My parents have always been very “punny”, and I picked up on that in my various food pun illustrations. I also grew up watching and reading a lot of Japanese media, and through that my love of making everything cute, colorful, and expressive can be seen in my works.

Lately, I’ve been playing with the idea of nostalgia, and the small things bring me joy. Perhaps it’s from missing my mom’s cooking (she lives 3 hours away), or being inspired by small moments through my day, I hope through my art I can remind others to find happiness in the little things in life.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

This is going to be a constant theme – but slowing down and knowing my limits! In my early career, I would say yes to a lot of projects, thinking that if I said “no” I wouldn’t get that opportunity again. This lead to tight schedules I created for myself and to burning myself out and feeling resentful to myself that I didn’t have time to work on my own craft. While I know it was a privilege to have this kind of problem, not making time for myself created a toxic environment where I felt like I had to drop everything in order to tend to other people’s needs.

By stepping back and reflecting on what is worth my time and energy, I was able to cater projects to what aligns with my work and lifestyle.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I would love for people to learn to slow down and enjoy the small things in life! More and more as I continue my life and art journey, the more I appreciate the small wins and moments. I hope people who view my works can find a small piece of happiness to help them through their day.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.mis0happy.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mis0happy