We were lucky to catch up with Yushan Guo recently and have shared our conversation below.
Yushan, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
After graduation, I found myself trapped in an unrelenting cycle of anxiety about finding a job. I suddenly lost all sense of direction, and day after day, I couldn’t even bring myself to pick up a paintbrush. It felt as though I had lost the very essence of being an artist.
During that difficult time, I happened to come across a community garden recruiting art interns on a volunteer website. Feeling adrift, I signed up on a whim — and that’s how I became part of this warm and welcoming community. There, I painted vibrant patterns on a garden shed, taught children how to make crafts and paint, and offered face painting during holiday events.
As a foreigner who had always lived within the safe bubble of campus life, I had never truly experienced American society. Stepping out of my comfort zone was terrifying. I was afraid of not fitting in, of not understanding the culture. But the people I met were kind and encouraging. They praised my work with sincere smiles, and the children’s pure joy melted my heart. Every time I completed a project and saw how it touched others, my heart brimmed with warmth.
Through those moments, I rediscovered my soul as an artist — someone who uses their skills to bring light and happiness to others. Slowly, I began to emerge from my anxious haze, carrying that warmth with me as I continued forward on my artistic journey.
Yushan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
As an illustrator, I have always had a keen perception of the world since I was young. A passerby, a gust of wind, or a subtle shift in emotions—any of these could become an inspiration that stirs my thoughts. I incorporate these reflections into my works, making them unique and emotionally engaging. I believe the story behind an illustration is just as important as its visual language. I excel at using color to express emotions, evoking resonance in others while expressing myself. I also have a strong interest in making handmade books. While creating illustrations, I consider the layout and page-turning methods, striving to provide a completely new experience for the audience.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
When I create posters for clients, I often find that the draft they choose is not the version I envision, and they frequently add elements that go against my ideas, which can sometimes be very disappointing. I realize that commercial art is often not free, and the process of surviving as an artist is a long one. During this process, it is nearly impossible not to compromise on some of your original intentions, but creating works you don’t like can cause an artist to lose their passion for creation. Therefore, I believe it is crucial to find your own artistic language. Sometimes I treat the demands of the client as a challenge, asking myself, ‘How can I meet their requirements without compromising my own aesthetic?’ And when necessary, distinguishing between commercial projects and personal artistic pursuits is also a way to protect myself.
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding aspect of being a creator is combining my art with people’s needs, bringing them joy and resonance. For example, when I do face painting for children in the garden, they often make all sorts of requests, sometimes even ones that are impossible to achieve. But I try my best to transform those requests into feasible designs, then refine them artistically, adding appropriate little embellishments. Every time I finish and they see their faces in the mirror, their genuine smiles and surprise are often the greatest gift I receive. Protecting people’s colorful dreams and turning them into a part of reality is what brings me the most fulfillment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://firsguo.com
- Instagram: @firsguo_art
