I’ve always been an illustrator, but it’s been difficult to label myself as an artist. Growing up in an Asian household, my parents wanted me to explore medicine or be an engineer, but I was never good at math or science. I was always really creative. 

When I started digital art, I used pen and paper, and I never explored color because I was afraid of messing up. These artists, and the freedom that comes with using a tablet, inspired me to experiment freely. After receiving my tablet, I’ve noticed more colors in the world.

Throughout my art, you can see that I’m drawing feminine, Asian women. However, it took a while to introduce my parents to my work. Whenever they initially saw my drawings, they thought they were pretty, but they didn’t know how much it meant to be me. I think that incorporating not just my culture, but our culture, could bring me closer to my parents.

Lately, I’ve been trying to create more pieces that are inspired by my culture, and I think it can bring me closer to my parents. I recently created a piece of a woman who’s wearing a traditional Vietnamese outfit and holding a fan. I showed it to my mom, and she posted it on our Facebook.

I want my work to inspire people to be creative, but I’m trying to figure out how my identity plays into that. As a person and artist, I want to move away from self-doubt and not be afraid. I want to explore different mediums including graphic design and animation. I want to see what I can do beyond my tablet. I’ve showcased my work through the Asian Americans in Media magazine, but I want to showcase my work at an exhibition like The Feels, which celebrates local artists in Seattle.

Reference:

How She Drew This: A Q&A with Emily Nguyen on feeling seen, finding inspiration, and sharing her work - Aleenah Ansari