Meet Jinghui Gao | Animator

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

Hi Jinghui, why did you pursue a creative career?
I think the most important reason is to achieve my childhood dream. I love watching animation and anime. Being an animator was a dream to me that I didn’t realize I could do. I was taught to do the things I should rather than I like while growing up. After I’ve got a chance to attend an animation class during my bachelor study, I found that is actually what I like and the thing makes me happy. So I started my experimental animation study in California and decided to achieve my childhood dream.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to create animations and motions that can present a childhood innocence and imaginations. As an adult I feel I lost lots of happiness that I could easily have. Like as a child I could be exited for a whole day after I saw a Magpie, because Magpie is a sign for good luck according to the Chinese myth that my mom read for me. But now I know a Magpie is a Magpie and the myth is just the myth. I won’t feel that happy or excited about seeing a Magpie. I miss the feeling of being a child, so I want to present childish happiness and imaginations through my works. In this way I feel like I am an adult and a child living in this world.

The most challenging thing for me is being patient and positive while drawing frame by frame. It is hard to be motivated for the whole practical process. To overcome these negative emotions I try to work more with the idea or thoughts that could heal me. I think my animation style has also been changing, when I started to animate in a way that make me feel more comfortable with. I learnt to follow my heart instead of chasing. And I hope my works can bring an interesting and funny world and imagination to the other people.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would go hiking with my friends. I’ve been to hike in Pico, a place near to where I’m living. It is a very new activity for me to hang out with friends. I am from Beijing which is not a city for exploring nature. And it would be great to hike with my friends from hometown. Also, poke is a must! Poke is a Hawaiian dish, but I’ve got my first bite here in LA. It is one of the most amazing food I’ve ever had in my life. So I would definitely take my friend to a poke restaurant.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to thanks my parents for their support. Sometimes they may not truly agree with me, but they are always stand stand by my side. I would not have started my creative practices without their support. I also appreciate Bauhaus University and Calarts where provided me a free creative atmosphere and let me make the things I like. I wouldn’t known my potential abilities of making animation without studying there.

Website: https://gaojhhh00.wixsite.com/portfolio2021

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jh.321123/

Other: https://gaojhhh00.wixsite.com/website-1