Meet Maya Chungbin | Illustrator & Nomad

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maya Chungbin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maya, how do you think about risk?
Taking risks is everything. My perspective of risk taking has changed a lot throughout my life, and thus my career as well. Every time we make a choice, we take a risk. But I’ve found that as I make sure my choices are aligned with my true intentions, these things that feel risky or scary become new opportunities and doors opened that I wouldn’t have otherwise stepped though.

In my career, I’ve started over twice. I found success, grew complacent and hungry, and made the scary choice to start again from “nothing”. The fear of doing this was massive, it took me years to finally allow my feelings to guide my actions when it came to leaving behind the success I felt I had found in my career for something unknown and murky. But I’ve come to know that these big and murky choices are the clearest chances that I get to realign my path with my growing perspective.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am an illustrator, known for my cartoony, simple, and (if I do my job right) sometimes funny, illustrations.

In my career, I find myself most proud of my ability to adapt. To wear different hats and learn new things, to push myself to enter new spaces where I feel like I know nothing.

The journey has not been easy or straight forward, I don’t think I know any artist who would say so. I started out 7 years ago as a gig worker, selling drawings I made on my iPad for $15 on Fiverr while I worked as a waitress. When the world shut down in 2020, I was lucky enough to experience burnout from a magnitude of other people locked inside who happened to notice my work, and thus my career began, lonely, exhausted, and so excited.

I was so ecstatic that what I had thought to be unattainable dream of becoming a full time artist had become my reality. At the same time, I was completely burnt out from the gig work cycle, and living at the whim of an online marketplace.

I quit for a while because I was too scared to confront the idea that I would have to start over again, after feeling like I had struck it so lucky the first time, how would I ever get so lucky again?

Then began the two year process of building myself up to stand on my own legs, without an algorithm pumping in or against my favor, without any idea how to use Adobe Illustrator, without any idea where to start.

When I thrust myself into so many things that I didn’t understand, that I didn’t know, I ran hot and overwhelmed. The thing I found to tell myself was “you can do it, you have the capacity to learn, you just have to start.”

And that worked just fine. Not quickly, not easily, but it worked.

I am now thriving as freelance illustrator, working with creative studios and clients of my own, making art love, and getting to call my inspirations my peers.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Monday-
A walk in Kenneth Hahn
Mint Mojito ice coffee from Philz

Tuesday-
Coffee at Alana’s
La Brea Tar Pit Museum

Wednesday-
Trader Joe’s premade food picnic at Vista Hermosa Park and a cheap bottle of wine

Thursday-
Canyon Coffee
Walk around east LA
Pinball at Walt’s

Friday-
Bratwurst at Wurstküche
Dancing somewhere

Saturday-
Silverlake Flea
Tacos at Angel’s stand
More dancing

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There are so many here, but here are a few. First my mom and dad. My mom’s non linear way of looking at and talking about life is owed everything for my ability to adapt and look at things from more angles than just my own in a moment. My dad, for his unbridled creativity and inventive and curious nature.

My partner Alex has helped me build and accomplish a dream and a life I had kept on the back burner. He constantly pushes me, supports me, and inspires me in my outlook on life, career, and everything.

My momentary mentor, Kyle Wai Lin, for believing in me and showing me just how much I didn’t know, and teaching me that I could learn it.

This one is cheesy, but the design community on Twitter (X) has given me so much. I’ve found a home for my work, companionship and kindness from people I look up to, and an endless supply of inspiration from the 1000s of talented people I have the opportunity to see and interact with every day.

Website: https://www.saltystill.com/

Instagram: @salty_still

Twitter: https://x.com/salty_still

Other: Gumroad (Get my art!):
https://saltystill.gumroad.com/