Meet Jerilyn Lee | Illustrator and Designer

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

Hi Jerilyn, what role has risk played in your life or career?
I think in art there is always an element of risk. Whether it is testing a new medium, trying out a different subject matter, or just simply showing your work to the world, there is always an amount of risk involved. Without taking chances in life I don’t think people would be able to grow so fluidly, and we’d all stay stagnated forever, (which would be very boring). Some of the most fun and exhilarating parts of being an artist come from “risk” factors, or making decisions that you don’t fully know what the results will entail. Being experimental is extremely important in my process as a creative and allowing for mistakes to occur. Throughout my college career I was taught to actively be bold in my decision making and that standing out required some percentage of skill, personality, and risk. I did not just start out as the illustrator I am today, it took a lot of failing to get where I am.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
What I value most about my skills as an illustrator is being able to fully communicate a story or feeling using my creative voice. I enjoy creating very intricate and detailed pieces relying heavily on clean linework to guide the movement of the artwork. I have been told my color palettes are very “edible” looking which in the artworld translates to a compliment, (I hope). I don’t think being an artist is an easy career, but I also don’t think there is such a thing as an easy career in the first place. We all have our struggles and personal battles that we go through to get to where we are. However, I can say that despite my obstacles I was extremely lucky enough to have a family and support system that helped me along the way. Once I got to ArtCenter College of Design I felt like I struck gold after meeting all the talented people around me. It was an overwhelming experience at first, coming from a background where I was one of the three other artists in the community. Since then I’ve met so many amazing people who have shared their life experiences with me both as friends and as peers. I will value that community for the rest of my life and hope to stay in touch with them all even after moving back to my hometown. Looking back on how far I’ve come I realize that the most valuable thing in my life is the people I have surrounded myself with, and how lucky I’ve been throughout it all meeting the people that I have.

Professionally, I have just started my career as an illustrator because I graduated recently with a BFA from ArtCenter. I hope to become a full time freelance illustrator for editorial and advertising agencies where I can use my unique voice to help aid those who need it. I have also illustrated, printed, and bound my own 144 page graphic novel, which I hope to polish up and then publish in the future. I am most excited to begin my journey, and although admittedly a little anxious, I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Like most people I am very big into food, so I would probably kick off the trip by going to my favorite restaurant in Pasadena, Osawa. They have the best food and service, and although their waitlist can get rather long, it’s always worth it in the end. I love all of their dishes that they serve and have tried over half the menu, but my favorite is definitely the Shokado bento box. I’ve taken so many of my friends there and they all seem to really enjoy it! I also am really into nature, so I would likely take my friend to the Huntington Library which is also in Pasadena. I love spending time in the Chinese and Japanese gardens as the grounds are really well maintained, and on a nice cool day it is very relaxing to sit on a bench to enjoy the scenery. Two more food places I would definitely go to are Young Dong Tofu House and Sun Nong Dan. Before my college career I was not the biggest fan of Korean food because the area I grew up in did not have a lot of great Korean food options nearby, so my exposure was rather limited. However, after moving to Socal and making friends with so many people in the Korean community and getting to know their culture and cooking I have done a complete 180 and now I absolutely love Korean food. Young Dong Tofu House and Sun Nong Dan are two of my favorite restaurants of all time from my time in college, and I am so grateful to the people who introduced me to both of them, (coincidentally they are right next door to each other)! I feel like it would be a crime to not go to at least one beach while you’re in socal, especially because the weather is usually so warm and the water is so chilly. Going to the beach on a weekday makes for a perfect picnic day to make art or dig for sand crabs.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would not be where I am today without the love and support from my family. They have been extremely instrumental in my creative career so far. I am lucky to have had such a great foundation to build off of and add to with my own life experiences. My friends have also been a great source of inspiration and support. Erin Choi has had to listen to all of my crazy thoughts and ideas that go into each piece, and she has given me the best advice on illustrations even after I ask her for help for the 60th time in an hour. Despite being complete clowns, Vicky Lin and Junwei Lin have been with me throughout my entire college career and now continue to offer support not only with projects, but also have been two of the coolest friends I could have asked for. Also thank you Jay, Hikaru, Alice, and Christina for keeping me sane with our calls.

Website: https://jerilynlee.com/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jerilyn-lee-162975234/