We were lucky to catch up with Alice Chui recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alice, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Are you happy as a creative professional? Do you sometimes wonder what it would be like to work for someone else?

I love being an artist and honestly wouldn’t imagine myself doing something else. That said, I’ve wondered what I’d be like having a non-creative related job or a “regular” job. When I was younger I wanted to be an ornithologist, which is the study of birds! I would be quite happy studying birds too, but I learn to realize that anything I do is creative. Sure, I would be using maybe more of the left side of my brain, but how I view the world and come to conclusions is like an artist at heart. No matter what I do or continue to do I will somehow bring in a creative twist or visual aspect to my work!

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

At the age of 12 I started my art career in fine arts such as watercolor, drawing, acrylic, and oil at my local community art school, Kimball Jenkins School of Art . In high school I shifted into the digital world and studied graphic design at my tech school, Concord Regional Technical Center (CRTC). Which led me to Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) where I majored in illustration and minored in fashion design. At SCAD I was able to apply my foundation and allow myself to become the artist I am today. Not only did I learn to refine my craft I came to understand the industry I was pursuing. As an artist especially if you want to be a freelance illustrator you are your biggest advocate. You learn that as a creative you have to create the work, market your brand, and collaborate with other professionals. I now know my fellow creatives are my support system and you cannot be afraid to be loud about who you are and what you want to create. My biggest advice is to create the work that makes you happy, that you want to see in the world, and everything else will follow! As an artist I want to create work that makes me smile and that will help others. I care about the people in my community, the environment, and my goal is to make designs that will be sustainable for the future.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Show support! It doesn’t have to be big it can be social media interactions give them a like, a share, a shoutout. Go find your local markets and talk to them- it will make their day. Learn about the museums in your area not only what they showcase, but the employees. Volunteer! Be willing to try to be active in your community goes a long way.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Branding yourself and creating a platform is difficult as an artist. Social media changes everyday and there are multiple apps and sites. Here’s my advice try to post regularly if that’s once a day, once a week, or every other day. Look up the best times to post on each platform and adjust with feedback. Interact with other artists online liking, commenting, reposting. The more consistent you become with it the easier it will get! You got this!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alicechui.wixsite.com/mysite
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alicechui__art/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alice-chui/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUmV1gHR88LiCU1lV311aHQ

Image Credits
Full Body Image Cerdit: Aaron Williams