We recently connected with Alex Yun and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Alex thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Before we get into specifics, let’s talk about success more generally. What do you think it takes to be successful?

After graduating from a prestigious art school, I had a big dream of becoming an amazing artist who would leave a legacy in the art industry. I was driven to lead a better life by chasing more money, a better job, prestigious projects, and a higher reputation among friends and coworkers. However, despite all my efforts, I did not put in my best work or achieve my dreams. I believed that I could succeed simply by relying on my talent, but it did not take me far in my career.

Taking a long break to be a mother did not help me become a better artist. However, it did teach me valuable lessons in life. Teaching my children the importance of hard work, self-reflection, consistency, delayed gratification, persistence, and grit allowed me to reflect on my own life and what I was missing to become a better artist.

I realized that it is essential to be consistent and diligent, even when faced with failure. Putting in the hours and persevering through moments of despair can lead to small improvements that eventually culminate in success. It is important not to constantly check one’s status, but rather to keep going until there is a noticeable improvement.

I do not consider myself a successful illustrator, artist, or printmaker. However, I feel accomplished that I get to sit in a corner of my room every day, designing, illustrating, carving, and printing small batches of greeting cards. To me, this is the true success of my life.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

Hi there! I’m Alex Yun, and I’m an illustrator and artist based in Altadena, California. I grew up in a place that had a mix of country and city life, and I’ve always found nature to be a source of inspiration for my art. I love exploring the complex emotions that we all experience, and I find comfort in expressing these feelings through drawing and painting.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When I was eighteen, my family immigrated to the United States from Korea. I had to leave everything behind and move to a new country, which was very challenging. While it may be a typical immigrant story, my experience was unique to me because we are all different individuals. I had to learn a new language, adjust to a new school, live in a new house with new furniture, and overall adapt to a completely new environment. The most difficult part of this experience was changing myself to fit into my new surroundings.

However, I am proud to say that I survived this experience, and it wasn’t easy. I had to face the fear of failing and embarrassment, but with time, I became more resilient. I learned to adapt to my new environment through trial and error, and it took a long time. But now, as I sit here and write this, I can confidently say that I am doing what I love to do, and it’s all because I faced my fears and learned how to adapt to new situations.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Although this isn’t directly related to my work in the art industry, it is relevant to my overall relationships with the people in my life. In social settings, it’s common for people to hide their true feelings and aim to please others. However, being respectful and being a people-pleaser are two different things. I’ve learned not to please people for no reason and to be true to myself in a respectful way. Overthinking what I’ve done or what people say about me is not productive. People don’t know what’s going on in my life, just as I don’t know what’s going on in theirs. Therefore, it’s important not to judge others and not to worry too much about being judged. Ultimately, I want to live my own life, not the life that other people expect me to live.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.axillustration.com
• Instagram: @axillustration

Image Credits
Alex Yun, Illustrator