Meet Haejin Kang | Illustrator

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

Hi Haejin, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
My ultimate goal is to design covers for jazz and hip-hop albums. Music has always inspired me and motivated me in my art. I believe that the cover of an album is a crucial design element that conveys what the music is about. There are many different musicians in the world. My dream is to collaborate with these musicians to create artwork that helps their work shine even more. And, I want to have an exhibition of my album covers at some point. I would be ecstatic to see my followers come and enjoy my exhibition.

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 believe that the strength of my art is that they are full of joy and energy. Giving joy to my audience through my work is my happiness. All I truly want is for people, tired from life and work, to run into my artwork and feel delighted even for a short moment. It was not easy for me to get my thoughts across through my work. Making a good illustration takes endless effort and practice. I think that taking high-quality classes with amazing professors at the Art Center helped me get this far. There were moments when I felt behind and felt that my self-esteem was low. However, I always had very supportive friends around me, whose love and support always encouraged me to keep my head up in those moments. I think that it shows in the art if the artist is not absolutely in love with it. I learned through experience that being confident in my effort and in my practice actually manifests in beautiful artworks.

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?
If I were to plan a trip in LA, a big part of it would be listening to great music, enjoying the freedom, and going around taking photos with a film camera. One menu that I would strongly recommend is the french toast at Blu jam. I absolutely love it. It’s so delicious! If a friend were to visit me, that would be the first thing to eat. If this friend of mine is an artist, I would also take them to this beautiful book store, Arcana, in Culver City. I would love to go read there all day and pick out my favorite one to buy and bring home. Lastly, I would probably take this friend to the beach and go on a drive. The days and nights of LA are beautiful. I like to go on drives usually, and there are a few driving courses that I particularly enjoy. There are the Palos Verdes course, the Venice Beach and Santa Monica courses… Malibu Beach is also excellent. Going on a drive along the coast, listening to music, and relaxing sounds like the best vacation.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
If there is anyone that can’t be left out of my story, it would be my parents. I started studying art relatively late, and even this would not have been possible without their support and love. My father is an artist, which means that he knows how difficult it is to make it as an artist. Nevertheless, when I told them I want to go into the arts, they happily supported my decision. My parents were always there for me when I was feeling low and wanting to give up. My mom was my rock whenever I was feeling lost, and my father was there to give me practical advice and propel me forward. I am so grateful to both of them.

Website: https://haejean.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hae_jean_/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hae-k-a05460217/

Image Credits
All image credit by haejin kang