We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Norino Shi. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Norino below.

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

The most meaningful project I’ve ever done was an illustration centered around Asian restaurants in New York City. It shows the food of many Asian restaurants, and they are scattered all over the picture like stickers. In the background is the facade of a Chinese restaurant in Chinatown, and in the center are four words that read “Restaurant Workers Wanted” in Chinese.

The painting was inspired by the fact that people in New York City have always loved the cheap and delicious exotic food, but rarely pay attention to the people who work behind the scenes of these restaurants. They have left their homes to come to a distant land to try to change their fate, but things are often not as they should be. For example, some immigrants who work here are paid far less than the legal standard because they lack legal status and work far more than the legal standard hours every day. Yet these are the things that the diners are indifferent to.

Since the creation of this painting, it has participated in several public benefit exhibitions and has been the album cover of an Asian indie band. For me, this project is very meaningful. Through illustration, I was able to express my concern and support for these migrant workers, and ultimately for the community I belong to. I am glad that through these platforms I have been able to convey this message to a wider audience and raise awareness of the existence of Asians.

Norino, 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 describe myself as a digital artist and illustrator. I came to New York from China 9 years ago, received my BFA and MFA both in art direction, and started my career as an illustrator from here. I have produced illustration commissions for a number of personal and commercial clients, and have showcased my works in multiple galleries across the world. My works mainly focus on female, Asians immigrants, and uncertainty about the universe & life and death, with various materials from digital illustrations, experimental short films to installation sculptures to weave all these. I consider myself as a Global Citizen, so my works also include a considerable number of fantasy-style works, mainly landscapes, with a view to creating a free spiritual world by stepping out of the shackles of space and time at present. Currently, I work as a freelance illustrator and lead visual/graphic designer for an educational company.

The initial idea of pursuing this career was simple – I am very unsociable, I have a very bad stutter even in my native tongue, and wanted to be able to express my ideas without words, i.e. through images. Although regrettably, in retrospect this was not the case at all, and the industry is arguably one of the most demanding in terms of self (verbal) expression. But fortunately, I did reach a reconciliation with myself by creating images and developed a path of self-exploration that I felt comfortable with.

I would describe my artistic practice as an attempt to start from the lgbtq feminists but personal to me. Asians, females and confusion about the universe and life and death are recurring themes in my work. The first two come from my identity – as an Asian female working in a foreign country, I often feel deeply that this group is almost invisible in key discourses, but at the same time is often pushed to the front lines of various issues and become a victim – such as yellow fever, or being on the forefront of political issues only to be forgotten or erased later. The latter two come from the nature of humanity and the universe; we are so insignificant compared to the observable universe within our current perception that this “insignificant existence” itself can cause anxiety about whether it makes sense to do anything at all. For me, my East Asian upbringing was devoid of education about life and death, and this absence has left me as an adult still unsettled, and I can only try to alleviate it by asking myself questions in my artworks.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

The most rewarding aspect of being an artist and creative for me is the ability to always maintain a keen insight into the world. Through my creations, I am able to explore and present things that we often overlook or don’t give enough value to, thus allowing the viewer to re-examine and feel the world. At the same time, as an artist, I am also very conscious of maintaining empathy and sympathy. I try to understand and present people’s emotions and inner feelings, and share these feelings with the audience.

In addition, an artist does not necessarily need to love the world or always express positive content. I get to express my own insecurities, anxieties, or portray a side of the world that is not touched by light. As long as the artist brings his or her own insight and soul to the creation, it will be full of unique meaning.

Finally, as an artist and creative, I have always had a desire to explore the stars, the sea and faraway places. I love to explore uncharted territories and undiscovered things through my work, constantly challenging my creative abilities and imagination. This spirit of exploration makes me feel that life is full of infinite possibilities and inspires me to keep pursuing higher artistic achievements.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Creative work requires a certain level of flexibility and creativity, and the process is often uncertain and challenging. Unlike other professions, creative work requires us to continually create, innovate and push the envelope, which requires us to constantly challenge ourselves and our existing ideas and accept the possibility of failure and retrying.

Another aspect that may be difficult for non-creative people to understand is that creative work requires a certain level of mental toughness. Our work is often based on personal ideas and experiences, and it is often subject to outside criticism and commentary. These comments can sometimes be positive and sometimes negative. Creatives need to learn how to handle these comments and accept the positive side while maintaining their creativity and independent thinking skills. In today’s world where social media floods our lives, we often feel stressed and uncomfortable. We may feel envious or lost about other people’s social media posts, or worry about whether our social media presence is good enough. These feelings can negatively affect our emotions and self-esteem. In these situations, it is often more beneficial to sometimes step back or temporarily not accept these sources of stress and anxiety, rather than forcing ourselves to confront them.

Finally, creative work requires continuous learning and self-improvement. Technology and trends are constantly changing, and we need to keep up with the times, constantly learning and exploring new tools and techniques to keep us creative and competitive.

In short, creative work is a challenging, continuous learning and creative endeavor that requires us to be flexible, creative and mentally resilient. Although these aspects may be difficult for non-creative people to understand, we can gain great satisfaction and sense of accomplishment through these challenges and growth.     

Contact Info:

• Website: https://jshiart.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Norino_Shi_/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/norino_art