Meet Emilia Chin | Illustrator

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

Hi Emilia, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
When it comes to the reasons why I should keep making art, my thoughts change several times as I go through different phases of my life. I used to lack confidence in my work, thinking that there were many talented artists better than me, and that I might never achieve their level of success no matter how hard I worked. Thoughts like “Are my artworks good enough?” and “I should convey profound philosophy through my works; otherwise, they are meaningless!” constantly occupied my mind.

However, everything changed when I began creating a series of crystal illustrations, which I considered to be a personal art therapy but might be considered “eye candy” in the art school. We made them into wallpaper calendars and shared them for free on Instagram. To my surprise, more people, not just my friends and family, expressed their anticipation for the monthly releases. I realized that if people get happiness from looking at an artwork and want to use it as wallpaper or display it on their walls, then the artwork is good enough.
While I still want to convey something meaningful through my work, I no longer judge it in advance because you never know how others will perceive your work.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
As I mentioned above, I have given a lot of thought to what I want to express through my artwork. Especially in light of the chaos and changes happening in the world in recent years, I have come to realize that the art I want to create is centered around conveying tiny, simple, yet genuine happiness. For instance, one of my works, titled “Fantasy Land Walking,” is a series depicting a whimsical land constructed from snacks and populated by imaginative creatures. I draw inspiration from cute and imaginative images that come to mind, using vibrant colors and textures in the work. During that period, both the world (due to the pandemic) and my personal life were challenging. I even completed some pieces while in the hospital, accompanying my seriously ill family member. Given the circumstances, I didn’t want to create artwork that would evoke more intense emotions. Instead, I aimed to create something that would bring a smile to people’s faces at first glance.

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?
After completing my studies in New York, I returned to my home country, Taiwan, and I am currently based in Taipei. One of my greatest joys is being able to carry my iPad and work in different coffee shops. Taipei offers a wide variety of coffee shops, each with its own unique and charming atmosphere. From Japanese vintage styles to modern industrial designs, I can’t resist pinning them all on my Google Map and gradually exploring and visiting each one. For me, spending time in these relaxing coffee shops has become an integral part of my creative process.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
The first person I want to give a shout-out to is always my mom. She has been my unwavering support since she discovered my interest in art. In Asian culture, it’s not considered “safe” to choose a career in the arts. We are often encouraged to study finance or engineering because they are seen as more financially stable. However, my mom always told me, “Making a living is easy. You can have a part-time job to prevent yourself from starving while continuing to pursue your art. Artists are not always immediately recognized, but they need benefactors. You may not encounter one in your entire life, but until that day comes, you should keep creating art and never stop.”

Website: https://www.emiliachin.com

Instagram: cloudletita

Image Credits
Emilia Chin