Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to JJ Tintiangco. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi JJ, thanks for joining us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is The Art of Becoming: Self-Loving Coloring Workbook, which I co-created with two Filipina women my mentor Glenda Macatangay MSW a licensed therapist and my best friend Shannon Deloso M.Ed, an educator. What started as a shared vision between friends turned into a powerful mental health tool used in classrooms, community spaces, and therapy offices.

As an artist and product designer, I poured my heart into illustrating and designing the workbook to make healing feel more creative, accessible, and culturally grounded. From first hand experience I know what it’s like to struggle with loving myself and one of the key take aways is that I didn’t want people to feel alone on their own journeys. So each page became an offering an invitation for people to slow down, reflect, and reconnect with themselves through color and journaling. The way I designed it, It was a blueprint from my own journey to becoming Self-Loving and I wanted it to feel like I was with them in spirit.

This project reminded me that design can be more than visual it can be a form of care and radical love. Seeing people use something I helped create as part of their healing journey affirmed why I do what I do: to create art that nurtures connection, self-love, and belonging.

JJ, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m JJ Tintiangco, a self-taught digital artist, product designer, and founder of JJ Typography, a creative studio rooted in the belief that art can be both healing and transformative. My journey started long before I had the language for design. Growing up surrounded by street art, community organizing, and storytelling shaped how I see creativity as a bridge between culture and care.

Before stepping fully into design, I worked in education, healthcare and wellness spaces, teaching ethnic studies and supporting social service programs. That experience continues to shape my creative lens today, guiding me to design with empathy, accessibility, and emotional resonance at the forefront.

Through JJ Typography, I create custom lettering, visual storytelling, and user-centered design projects that help people and brands express their message with authenticity and impact. My work lives at the intersection of art, healing, and empowerment, from personal commissions and brand identities to digital products that make creativity more approachable.

I’m most proud of how my work helps people feel seen. Whether it’s a typographic piece that amplifies someone’s story or a wellness-centered design used in a classroom or therapy setting, my mission is to create art that nurtures connection, self-love, and collective growth.

Ultimately, I want people to know that my brand isn’t just about aesthetics. It’s about creating with purpose, building spaces that feel safe to express, and reminding others that their stories deserve to be celebrated in color and boldness.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can provide some insight – you never know who might benefit from the enlightenment.

What many non-creatives might not understand is that being an artist isn’t just a career choice..it’s a way of feeling the world. Creativity is both my medicine and my mirror. It’s where I process grief, joy, and the moments in between. Every piece I make holds the parts of me I’ve had to reclaim the softness, the courage, the chaos, and the clarity.

The creative journey asks for a level of vulnerability most people never have to expose publicly. It means turning your healing into something tangible and then watching it be judged, misunderstood, or commodified. But I keep creating because it reminds me that beauty can exist in the midst of uncertainty. Art helps me alchemize pain into purpose and invites others to do the same. It’s not about being seen; it’s about helping others see themselves.

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

To truly support artists, we need more third spaces…places that exist outside of work and survival where people can simply create for the joy of creating. Not every piece of art needs to be monetized, optimized, or turned into a brand. Some art is meant to be a release, a form of play, a breath we didn’t know we were holding.

Society can nurture thriving creative ecosystems by funding accessible spaces for experimentation and rest, where artists can exist without the pressure of constant output. We need to shift from seeing creativity as a luxury to recognizing it as a basic human need a way we process, connect, and thrive.

When people have room to be creative without fear or scarcity, communities flourish. Creativity isn’t just how we make art; it’s how we remember we’re alive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.jjtypography.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jjtypography/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjtypography