Meet Christina Chung | Illustrator

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

Hi Christina, do you have some perspective or insight you can share with us on the question of when someone should give up versus when they should keep going?
This question is definitely something that I come back to a lot. As an independent artist I have to act as my own driving force when things get hard. It can be really easy to sink into self-doubt, but I’ve found that one of the best ways to pull myself out of that mindset is to turn worry into action. I know that I’ve continuously moved forward in my career by pushing past moments where I’ve wanted to give up, and I’ll continue to do so. I like to spend down time working on new portfolio pieces, promoting my work or going out into the world to look for ways to fill my creative cup.

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 studied illustration in college, which allowed me to grow exponentially as an artist. Beyond that I’ve been able to get to where I am today through a network of generous people, a passion for what I do, and I’m sure a mix of luck and stubbornness.

I’ve definitely learned that you can’t depend on talent or passion to succeed as an illustrator, and instead I lean into trying to continuously evolve and facing every challenge with an open mind.

As an illustrator, I see myself as a visual problem-solver and storyteller. Through my work I’ve been able to learn about such a wide-range of topics and connect with people through their stories. As an extension of these experiences, I hope that my work can provide others with an escape into a new world or an opportunity to learn something.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
As an illustrator and an avid sketchbooker, I love to explore, observe and document a city. Some of my favorite places to sketch and hang out are Columbus Park in Manhattan Chinatown, the Brooklyn Botanic Garden or a quiet corner at the MET.

I also recommend stopping by Kopitiam, Buddha Bodhai, Sun Hing Lung and Lady Wong for a bite to eat!

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’d like to give a shoutout to my middle school and high school art teacher, Mr. Widder. He really encouraged me to explore and be fearless in my passion for art, and I credit him with giving me the final push I needed to decide to study illustration at art school. Going down that path set the foundation that I needed to be where I am today and for that I’m truly grateful.

Website: https://christina-chung.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/christinaillos

Twitter: https://twitter.com/christinaillos

Image Credits
Portrait by Han Alexander