Meet Celia Hsu | Motion Designer & Art Director

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

Hi Celia, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I was younger, I devoted most of my time to work. I held a full-time job and often took on freelance work. I enjoyed being busy, but I soon realized this lifestyle was detrimental to my physical and mental health. With no time to rest, I constantly felt stressed. When overly busy, I found it hard to sleep well, as work always occupied my thoughts.

Recognizing the damage, I decided to reduce my workload. I now primarily focus on my full-time job, taking on fewer freelance projects. This change has given me more free time to travel, read, and even play video games. I can rest on weekends and feel prepared for the workweek. I believe finding this balance is essential and sustainable for my career.

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 a committed designer, animator, and art director, proficient in delivering inventive solutions through the creative process. With skills in various motion design styles, including illustrative, vector, and collage, I have teamed up to produce captivating show packages, animated videos, engaging social content, and powerful branding materials.

My career path hasn’t been easy, especially as I relocated from Taiwan to the USA. This significant move brought about cultural shocks, language barriers, and the challenge of finding a job to be financially independent. The COVID pandemic made it more difficult; my work visa application was delayed for three months due to Union closures, causing uncertainty about my work status.

The key lessons from these challenges are patience and optimism. It’s important to network extensively and always prepare for the worst-case scenario.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
That is such a fun question! Since I am based in Boston, here are some of my favorite places to check out:

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum – This private museum boasts a beautiful garden and a vast collection. Since all items are part of a personal collection, you’ll find plenty of personality there. It’s possible to spend 1-2 hours exploring, which for me is the perfect duration.

Boston Common- This is the oldest park in the USA. I enjoy walking there due to its spaciousness and the abundance of adorable dogs.

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?
I want to give a shoutout to the Black Mach team! They are among the most talented individuals I have ever encountered. I’m constantly inspired by their fun, quirky nature and their never-ending stream of brilliant ideas!

Website: www.seesawpig.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/celiahsuuu

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/seesawpig

Image Credits
Robert Lin