Meet Zione Hong | 3D Animator

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

Hi Zione, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
My favorite quote is “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen” (Hebrews 11:1) because it gives me the strength to face challenges in life with peace and joy. With faith, it guides me by trust without seeing in my future because I know with my heart that faith is my foundation.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am grateful for my parents because they are artists themselves, so art comes to me naturally. I became immersed into animated films due to visuality. I am proudly Deaf, Korean-American and I sign American Sign Language (ASL). Through my artworks, I am a storyteller in advocating for equity, diversity, inclusivity and accessibility.

I am a proud alumnus of the Otis College of Art and Design majoring in Fine Art. My concentration is 2D and 3D animation. Historically, I am the first Deaf person to obtain the Bachelor of Fine Art in 2022. There was one of the projects I worked on that required audio due to the society where I am in this world. I learned how to add and modify to my project for the first time and it was quite challenging for me. Since ASL is my native language, I don’t hear a single sound and sounds are not familiar to me. Fortunately, with technology and support, I received a compliment that my project aced. And all of my classmates loved it.

As a professional Deaf animator, I strive to make a difference for the next generation by opening a door for more opportunities in the industry, for instance, full access to sign language. I aim to share my animated stories to the world that people with different abilities are beautiful and unique. I represent my communities because one cannot exist without the other.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am a foodie person! I love exploring, trying something new, and sharing stories about food itself. Food is an art to my soul. I enjoy adventuring locally because I love learning about new cultures that tourism often doesn’t spotlight. Japan and South Korea are my favorite spots where I go for local adventures– hidden famous foods are a bonus. I very much enjoy participating activities, such as Escape Room, must-see museums or historical buildings. 

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am truly thankful for my Deaf communities who believe in me and support me becoming a professional artist because my communities are unique because it is a language- and an asian- minority, so both share a collective kind of approach that is rooted in my values. Art allows me to be able to express my perspectives, my thoughts, my feelings, and my voices freely through varied forms of visual, for instance, animation. Since I am Deaf woman of Korean descent, my recognition is often overlooked. I was amazed by friends of mine who uplifted my art skills. “Art is art” always resonates with me because there is no such thing as perfection.

I am forever grateful for two people: Heath Wireman and Kevin Toh. Mr. Wireman was my deceased friend who tutored me during my early years. I was fortunate to acquire two languages, ASL and English, to develop my confidence in communication. Mr. Toh is my partner and he is an artist himself. I appreciate his contribution to my artworks so much because of how he interacts with me, like constructive feedback. Because of him, I am comfortable to share my voices and seek resources without hesitation to support my profession.

Website: https://zionehong.wixsite.com/portfolio

Instagram: @zioneh_art

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zione-hong-a362261ba/